If you have not yet sampled Barbera wine, you must give this drink a taste. Barbera is a red grape Italian wine. In fact, the wine is the third most-planted variety of its type in Italy. It follows Sangiovese and Montepulciano in rankings. The grape produces excellent yields and is known for its rich red colour, high levels of acid, and low tannins.
Therefore, wines made from the Barbera grape are frequently depicted as being medium-bodied with a solid acidity. Flavours are suggestive of spice and red cherries. The barrel-aged types of Barbera are fuller-bodied as well as pricier.
Some Suitable Pairings
If you wish to pair this wine, experts at such wine retailers as Hard To Find Wines suggest that you match up the wine with the following entrees:
- Braised chicken and peppers
- Roasted pork and mango glaze
- Lentils and chicken sausage
A Reasonable Price
This type of wine, which is normally medium to high in acidity, is considered a dry wine with respect to sweetness. It contains a medium amount of alcohol. Connoisseurs of the wine often buy this Hard To Find Wines product at a reasonable price. Usually, you will not spend over £18 for the selection.
Barbera Wine from the Carneros Region in California
Whilst the Barbera wine is grown in Italy, the version featured by retailers such as Hard To Find Wines comes from the Carneros region in the Sonoma and Napa valleys of California. The California version features scents of berry fruit with plum notes. When tasting the wine, you will notice a hint of rich cherry and blackberry, which is balanced out by a medium tannin structure and toasty yet sweet French oak.
Other Delicious Food Pairings
Indeed, this is an excellent California wine to also pair with such foods as pasta in cream sauce, white fish that has been grilled, creamy risotto, and tomato-based foods or sauces. This particular wine also works well with roasted pork, all styles of chicken dishes (except for spicy), and pizza. The acidity in the wine cleanses the palate of the fat in dishes with sauces.
Grilled White Fish and Barbera
When paired with white fish, you will note that the Barbera is not overpowered by the food. Also, when you drink the wine with tomato-based dishes, the acidity in the tomatoes tempers the acidity in the Barbera. As a result, the more delicate flavours are noted when eating a tomato-based dish.
Growing and Harvesting the Barbera Grape
The Barbera grape is well-suited to warm climates and prospers well in soils that are sandy or fine. Usually, the fruit ripens late. Therefore, the grape cannot be grown in places where winter arrives early. That is why this type of grape can be grown in California. Whilst the grape displays a thin skin, it does develop a lovely blue-violet hue.
Although the Barbera grape is best known in Italy and California, growers are now harvesting the fruit in such locales as Chile, Australia, and Argentina. Many award-winning versions of the Barbera wine have been produced in California. If you enjoy red wine, you will want to add this wine to your list of selected vintages.