Barbera d’Asti is a wine produced entirely or primarily from Barbera grapes grown in the province of Asti of Italy’s Piedmont region. The wine must be made from a minimum of 90% Barbera, while other local varieties, such as Freisa or Grignolino are allowed.

As Barbera is the most widely planted variety in Piemonte, many versions of this wine are light to medium-bodied. Barbera features very high acidity for a red wine, but very light tannins. This means the wines are immediately drinkable, especially with salumi and other similar products, as the acidity of Barbera cuts through the fat of the salumi.

Barbera also has a pleasing spiciness, sometimes with notes of black pepper, making this a nice partner for lighter grilled foods.

While many examples of Barbera d’Asti are light, the examples labeled as superiore tend to be weightier on the palate (minimum 12.5% alcohol); many of these wines also receive 6-12 months of oak aging. Barbera d’Asti can either be labeled as a DOC or DOCG wine, depending on the production methods. Enjoy most examples of Barbera d’Asti from 2-3 years of the vintage, while a few of the more complex versions can drink well for 5-7 years and beyond. (Wine/Appellations)