Barbera
A deeply colored Piedmont red with high acidity and low tannin, best known from Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba.
At a glance
- 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.
Detail
Barbera and Nebbiolo make a useful structural contrast in Piedmont: Barbera is typically darker, higher in acidity and lower in tannin, while Nebbiolo is paler and more tannic. Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Alba are its best-known appellations, with Nizza focused on more structured examples. High acidity remains Barbera's clearest structural marker.
Similar grapes
Sangiovese
Similar high acidity and sour-cherry fruit.
Difference Sangiovese usually has firmer, more drying tannin.
Dolcetto
Similar dark cherry and plum.
Difference Dolcetto has lower acidity and more tannin.