🍇 Barbera
A red grape of Piedmont: 18 thousand ha in Italy (2015); the basis of Barbera d'Asti and Nizza.
Barbera is a red wine grape from Italy, listed in the VIVC catalogue as Barbera nera. According to DNA markers, one of its parents is Coccalona nera; the other is unknown. The catalogue lists 35 synonyms and notes that other varieties descend from Barbera.
According to the OIV, in 2015 Barbera covered 18 thousand ha in Italy, or 2.6% of the vineyards, and was the country's tenth variety. The area is shrinking: according to VIVC, there were 45,574 ha in 1990 and 28,337 ha in 2000. The grape is grown overseas as well: California had 4,099 ha in 1992.
The main Barbera wines come from Piedmont. Barbera d'Asti has held DOCG status since 2008 and contains at least 90% of the variety. Barbera del Monferrato Superiore has also been a DOCG since 2008, with no less than 85% Barbera. The strictest rule is in the Nizza DOCG: here the wine is made only from Barbera.
Barbera d'Alba has been a DOC since 1970: it holds 85 to 100% Barbera, and the rest, up to 15%, can be Nebbiolo. So both grapes can meet in a single wine.
Why it matters to you. The name «Nizza» on a label means a wine of 100% Barbera, «Barbera d'Asti» at least 90%, and «Barbera d'Alba» at least 85%. DOCG wine is sold in bottles of up to 6 l with a state control mark. Reds are served at 15–18 °C and stored lying down at 10–16 °C.
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Barbera → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ Italian wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Piedmont, 📍 Lombardy, 📍 Emilia-Romagna, 📍 Langhe, 📍 Monferrato, 📍 Oltrepò Pavese
- Main grape in
- Italy: 📜 Barbera d'Asti, 📍 Langhe, 📍 Oltrepò Pavese, 📍 Piedmont, 📜 Barbera d'Alba, 📍 Sannio, 📜 Colli Tortonesi, 📜 Nizza, 📜 Barbera del Monferrato, 📜 Botticino
and 16 more
📜 Buttafuoco, 📜 Canavese, 📜 Casteggio, 📜 Colli Bolognesi, 📜 Colli Piacentini, 📜 Colline Saluzzesi, 📜 Gabiano, 📜 Rubino di Cantavenna, 📜 San Colombano al Lambro, 📜 Sangue di Giuda, 📜 Alba, 📜 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, 📜 Colli di Parma, 📜 Collina Torinese, 📜 Gutturnio, 📜 Riviera del Garda Classico - Parents
- 🍇 Coccalona Nera
- Offspring
- 🍇 Albarossa, 🍇 Terzi 1, 🍇 Bric
- Similar and different
- 🍇 Nebbiolo
Frequently asked questions
Where does Barbera come from?
From Italy; according to VIVC DNA markers, one of its parents is Coccalona nera.
How much Barbera is there in Italy?
According to the OIV, 18 thousand ha (2015) — 2.6% of the vineyards, tenth place among the country's varieties.
Is it true that every «Barbera» is made from this grape alone?
No. Only the Nizza DOCG requires 100%; Barbera d'Asti needs at least 90%, Barbera d'Alba from 85%, and the rest can be Nebbiolo.
What is Nizza?
A Piedmont DOCG where the wine is made only from Barbera.
How should Barbera wine be served?
Like most reds — at 15–18 °C; store it lying down at 10–16 °C.
What to read next
- 🗺️ Italian wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grape varieties, appellations.
- 📍 Langhe — The hills around Alba with Barolo and Barbaresco, a UNESCO site.
- 📍 Lombardy — The region of Milan: 26 designations of origin, 5 of them DOCG — Franciacorta, Valtellina Superiore and others.
- 🍇 Albarossa — Dark-skinned wine grape from Italy; parents Chatus × Barbera Nera; 2 synonyms in VIVC.
- 📍 Oltrepò Pavese — Hills south of the Po in the province of Pavia: Lombardy's largest wine area (11,539 ha) and sparkling wine from Pinot Nero.
Similar
🍇 Croatina · 🍇 Uva Rara · 🍇 Vespolina · 🍇 Nebbiolo · 🍇 Freisa · 🍇 Pelaverga
Sources
- VIVC (Vitis International Variety Catalogue): passport Barbera nera, area
- MASAF: Elenco dei vini DOP e IGP italiani (agg. 18.03.2026) e disciplinari di produzione (Barbera d'Asti, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, Nizza)
- OIV Focus 2017: Distribution of the world's grapevine varieties
- eAmbrosia — the EU geographical indications register: Nizza (PDO)
- Simons C.T. Left out in the cold: Serving wines chilled. Temperature, 2019