Barbera

Trevìe is like a close friend within Vietti's Barbera family – open-hearted, charming and honest – and completely free of pretension. The grapes come from hilly vineyards around Asti and Alba. Hand-harvested, gently pressed and spontaneously fermented in stainless steel – the wine is then aged on its fine lees with subtle oak influence. In the glass, it displays a luminous ruby red, almost radiantly youthful. The nose is light and crisp: cherry juice, redcurrant, a hint of plum, spiced with violet blossom and a subtle touch of almond on the finish. On the palate, Trevìe remains elegant and juicy – with pure fruit, pronounced yet gentle acidity and delicate, refined tannins that work in the background to hold the wine together. A slightly mineral note on the finish rounds the whole off with style. A Barbera that brings both joie de vivre and character to the glass – perfect for a quick sip between meals, but equally at home at a fine dinner table. SUPERIORE.DE

Ca' di Pian is a modern classic among Barbera d'Asti wines – spirited, fruity and at the same time deeply rooted in the terroir of Monferrato. The grapes come from old vineyards in Castagnole and Costigliole d'Asti, where the Barbera finds optimal conditions on calcareous marl soils in a sunny south and south-west exposure. The wine is vinified in the classic way: temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, followed by around 12 months of ageing in used French barriques.

A charismatic representative from the Alba region: this Barbera reflects the diversity of the Vajra vineyards – a spirited expression of the grape variety, vinified with attention to detail and many years of biodynamic expertise. Maturation in stainless steel preserves the varietal purity and natural flavours and ensures an invigorating freshness. The colour in the glass is a bright ruby red with a violet hue. An elegant bouquet of fresh cherries, fine spicy notes and a floral touch on the nose – including delicate violet accents. On the palate, it reveals a juicy fruit structure, supported by a balanced, lively acidity and softly framed tannins. The finish is slightly spicy and persistent with an elegant aftertaste. A Piedmontese all-rounder for everyday enjoyment: charming, clear as a bell and easy to drink – a stylish statement for uncomplicated enjoyment! SUPERIORE.DE

Three vineyards, one wine – the name says it all. From the Ginestra and Bricco San Pietro crus in Monforte d'Alba, Clerico composes its Barbera as an orchestra: Ginestra provides freshness, Mosconi the silky fullness, San Pietro structure and depth. After 10 to 14 days of maceration, the wine matures for 16 months in equal parts barrique and large barrels – a balance that Domenico Clerico himself had initiated before he passed away in 2017. Today, Oscar Arrivabene continues to run the cellar in his spirit.

Whilst Dolcetto is an uncomplicated everyday wine, Altare Altare's Barbera d'Alba reveals a different side: full-bodied, warmer and with more structure. The vines, aged between 10 and 30 years, are rooted in calcareous sandy soils in La Morra, predominantly on eastern and north-eastern-facing slopes. The grapes undergo maceration for three to four days in rotary fermenters at a controlled temperature, followed by five months' ageing in used French barriques – subtle enough not to overpower the fruit, yet pronounced enough to impart complexity.

Nizza is a small municipality in Monferrato that has given Barbera its highest level. Only elevated to an independent DOCG in 2019, Nizza epitomises what Barbera can achieve when the terroir and craftsmanship are right: Depth, structure, length. Soils with fine veins of lime and sand, which inscribe the flavour and freshness of the variety into the fruit. Prunotto vinifies the Bansella with six days of maceration at 28°C, completing the malolactic before winter – followed by twelve months in second and third passage barriques. Wood as a silent reserve, not as a commentary.

The grapes for Vignota come from five selected vineyards in Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with loamy and sandy inclusions give the Barbera grapes expression and depth. Bright ruby red colour with a purple hue. Aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry and plum, underpinned by violets, herbs and a hint of liquorice. Juicy and balanced on the palate, with present, well-integrated acidity and soft, fine-grained tannins. After fermentation, the wine matures for several months in used French barriques, which gives it additional harmony and fine spicy notes. An exciting and very serious Barbera with a regional profile and good structure. SUPERIORE.DE

The vines for this single-vineyard Barbera are rooted at the highest point of the hill in the renowned Ravera and Pasinotti vineyards near Novello. Grown on limestone- and clay-rich soils with a south-southeast aspect at an altitude of 300–400 metres, the wine reflects both elegance and a distinct sense of terroir. In the glass, it displays a radiant ruby red colour with a delicate purple sheen. The nose is deep and refined: notes of ripe wild berries, plum, rose and aromatic herbs unfold, accompanied by the scent of violets and a hint of oriental spices that lend depth. The fresh acidity enlivens the juicy fruit, whilst the fine tannins provide structure. The finish is long and spicy, with a slightly salty, mineral note – typical of the high altitudes of this spectacular Piedmont landscape. 

The Barbera grape belongs to Piedmont like the fog in October and tartufo in November. A natural companion of everyday life – the grape variety that has set the table on the hills of the Langhe for centuries. Ceretto has dedicated its own vineyard to this conviction: "La Piana", a flat valley on the edge of Alba on the Tenuta Monsordo Bernardina, traditionally known as one of the best addresses for Barbera in the municipality. The name is precise. 100% Barbera, organically farmed, harvested by hand and selected in the vineyard. Vinification follows the same principle as the vineyard itself: Only steel, controlled temperatures, no wood seasoning to overlay. Barbera does not need this – it has its own language, and it is expressive enough.

Basarin and San Cristoforo – on calcareous marl soils with sandy veins and moderate altitude – are the two Barbera sites for this powerful, exceptional wine. Selective manual harvesting, spontaneous fermentation with the vineyard's own yeasts in stainless steel and a maceration period of around three to four weeks ensure depth and grip. Malolactic fermentation and maturation then take place in wood (predominantly used barrels), without fining or filtration; short bottle rest before release.

Giulia Negri is known as the "Barolo Girl" – and rightly so. After leaving Olivetti in the 1970s, her grandfather began planting the slopes of Serradenari, one of the highest crus in the Barolo appellation. Today, Giulia runs the estate with a style that combines Burgundian sensibility with Piedmontese consistency – spontaneous fermentation, traditional vats, no additions, minimal filtration. Their Barbera grapes grow on north-facing plots in La Morra – serradenari, at 400 metres, on tortonian, sandy-loamy soil. A northern exposure at this altitude means: cool, slow ripening, natural acidity. Spontaneous fermentation in steel, then 16 months of ageing between steel and Liters French tonneaux – a maturity that gives the Barbera far more depth than one would expect.

When Luciano Sandrone bought his first vineyard in Cannubi Boschis in 1977 – financed with all his savings – and vinified the first bottle in his parents' garage a year later, nobody could have guessed that this humble beginning would grow into one of Barolo's most iconic wineries. After his death in 2024, daughter Barbara, brother Luca as Oenologist and wife Mariuccia continue the legacy today: 27 hectares between Langa and Roero, six wines of uncompromising quality that combine tradition and modernity in equal measure. The Barbera d'Alba, vinified from grapes from various plots in Monforte d'Alba and Novello, is more than just an accompanying wine – it is a statement that Sandrone devotes the same attention to each grape variety as he does to his legendary Barolo.

Sandrone's story began in the 1970s in the family garage, and to this day the family's motto remains: family first, business second. The Barbera grapes are grown across seven vineyards in the hills of Barolo, including Cascina Pe Mol in Monforte d'Alba and Ravera in Novello, on compact marl, each with its own microclimate. The 2024 vintage demanded careful attention: a wet spring, a cool, rainy September, grapes that needed thinning, and a hand-picked harvest from 24 to 30 September. Each vineyard plot is fermented separately, spontaneously in open stainless-steel tanks; the wine is then aged for 15 months inLiters French oakLiters, a good proportion of which are new, and for nine months in the bottle.

The vines are planted where the Piedmont slopes gently at Canelli and the Barbera grape can develop its depth. The name is reminiscent of Cesare Pavese, the great son of these hills – and his most famous work "La Luna e i Falò". Like the novel, this wine also carries a quiet melancholy, paired with expression, maturity and identity. Matured in barriques and large casks for around a year, this is a Barbera full of character and at the same time modern.

Roberto Voerzio founded his cantina in La Morra in 1986. The address is Loc. Il Cerreto is the home vineyard, the house's place of origin, the plot of land where it all began. The Barbera that grows here therefore comes from the garden of the man who was one of the first to make the Langhe internationally famous as a terroir producer. Voerzio treats his Cerreto vineyard no differently to his famous Barolo vineyards: only natural manure from Alpine cows, no herbicides, no chemical intervention. A maximum of one kilogramme of grapes per vine. Hand-picked. Fermentation in steel, 12 to 14 days on the skins. Maturation in tonneaux (70% new) and large 25-hectolitre barrels for a total of 12 months, followed by a further 8 months in steel. No filtration. No intervention that changes the character of the wine – this is Voerzio's principle for every wine of the house, without exception. In his own words: "Time does not make the wine great – time unfolds what is in it from the start."

It was no coincidence, but opportunity, that Roberto Voerzio embarked on a new adventure in Monferrato a few years ago. As the latest addition to his exquisite collection, he put himself to the test as a passionate Barbera lover by acquiring some plots of land near Canelli and Nizza Monferrato. These are vineyards that are around 35 years old with clay and limestone soil, which gives the wine complexity and minerality. The old planting was then greatly reduced according to his modus operandi: to 3,500 to 8,000 vines per hectare with a production of less than 1 kg (!) per plant. Fermentation and maceration take place in steel tanks using indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation and ageing take place in barriques (70% used) for 12 months and then in steel tanks for a few months before bottling without filtration.

This wine bears the small print name Viola delle Viole, although its fruit comes from the Bricco delle Viole and Bricco Bertone vineyards, two sites with different soil types, one of which provides structure and the other aromatic purity. Opens with a dark, almost impenetrable appearance. Powerful aromas of blackberry jam and preserved cherries unfold on the nose. You can feel its warmth and richness and there is no way around it. It is a super-sized Barbera that goes one better in terms of extraction and intensity. The finish is almost sweet, followed by good acidity. It shows great aromatic perfection, length and a very accentuated style. SUPERIORE.DE

Nizza is Piedmont's youngest and, at the same time, most demanding DOCG. Officially recognised in 2014, having originated as a sub-zone of Barbera d'Asti Superiore at the turn of the millennium, it comprises 18 carefully selected municipalities in the Monferrato region, all concentrated on those hilly, calcareous-sandy soils of the Tertiary sedimentary layers that lend Barbera its characteristic depth and minerality. Tenuta Olim Bauda has been one of its most compelling producers from the very beginning. The vineyards lie at the heart of the production area, between Nizza Monferrato and Incisa Scapaccino, on sandy-clay soils on south-facing slopes, with historic vines alongside younger plots. Hand-harvested in the first and second weeks of October, pressed in the evening, and fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. This is followed by 30 months' ageing in 25-hectolitre barrels made from French Allier oak – longer than the Riserva regulations require, and a decision made deliberately.

Monleale is a rich, intoxicating wine. Medium ruby-garnet in colour, the bouquet has a subtle sweetness, dried cherry, balsamic notes and clove. On the palate, spicy and earthy undertones support its precise core of dense red cherry and plum fruit, while it briskly presents a powerful and pleasantly savoury style that is ideal for the dining table. Monleale has plenty of personality and character, and its persistence and longevity make it one of the most profound and intense Barbera wines to be found in this price range. SUPERIORE.DE

As usual, the grapes come from a selection of old vines in the Mosconi, Gabutti and Ravera plots, whose limestone- and clay-rich soils lend the wines a delicate minerality and structure. The wine is aged separately by vineyard for around 12 months in used barriques before the cuvée is blended. A deep ruby red with a purple core – a glance into the glass already reveals the depth of this vintage. The bouquet unfolds into a complex interplay of aromas of ripe cherry, plum and dark berries, accompanied by hints of violet, liquorice and a touch of dried herbs. On the palate, it is juicy and focused, with lively acidity, ripe fruit and supple tannins. The 2023 vintage currently appears a touch fresher and more youthful than its predecessor, yet retains the balance between regional roots and the finely nuanced style for which Chiara Boschis is renowned. SUPERIORE.DE