Gamay vs Barbera
Gamay
Light body, fresh acidity, and low tannin in classic Beaujolais styles.
- Fresh red berry
- Low tannin
- Light body
Recognize it
Light body and low tannin with bright acidity. Red cherry, raspberry and violet are common. Banana and bubblegum, when present, are more associated with carbonic or semi-carbonic winemaking than with the grape itself.
Barbera
A deeply colored Piedmont red with high acidity and low tannin, best known from Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba.
- Sour cherry
- High acidity
- Low tannin
Recognize it
Deep ruby color, high acidity, low tannin, sour cherry, and plum are the key combination. It can look dark while feeling surprisingly low in tannic grip.
How they compare
- SimilarHigh acidity, low tannin and juicy red fruit.
- DifferenceBarbera is darker, fuller and more sour-cherry driven.