12 of the best Barbera d’Asti and Nizza wines to enjoy this summer
The ever-popular Barbera grape is grown in many regions of Italy, but it is most at home in Piedmont. Ian D'Agata picks 12 great examples for the summer.
Barbera d’Asti is one of Italy’s most popular wine grapes, grown not just in Piedmont but in many regions of Italy, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Campania. In fact, Barbera is the sixth most-planted grape variety in Italy.
See below for D’Agata’s 12 best Barbera d’Asti and Nizza wines
However, it is undoubtedly in Piedmont where the grape performs best. To put Barbera’s popularity in perspective, consider that 33% of Piedmont’s 45,000 hectares under vine are planted to Barbera.
Barbera d’Asti – a DOCG that boasts 3,915ha under vine and 2,456 producers, 30 of which are cooperatives – offers both very successful, oaked versions as well as precise, fruity reds aged in stainless steel only. Clearly, Barbera d’Asti Superiore is a bigger wine than Barbera d’Asti, made from selected grapes, and must be aged for at least six months in wood.
The sandy-marly-loamy hills of the Asti wine zone (named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014) are also the home of a small enclave called Nizza, one of three Barbera d’Asti sub-zones – the others are Tinella and Colli Astigiani. Of the three sub-zones, it is Nizza where the most ageworthy and arguably the best Barbera d’Asti is made. Previously called Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza, mercifully the name has now been shortened to just Nizza. The best wines are balanced and powerful, ageing well from eight to 10 years after the vintage.
Promising future
The only disappointing thing about Barbera d’Asti is that many wine lovers and experts are not aware of its high quality. The good news is that things appear to be looking up. The Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato, headed by the dynamic Filippo Mobrici, has been growing steadily, with 33 estates joining in 2015, the total number of members now exceeds 200. It all adds up to many more great tasting and drinking opportunities for wine lovers everywhere.
The following tasting of Barbera d’Asti and Nizza wines was conducted at the Enoteca Regionale di Nizza in January 2016, where samples were kindly gathered on my behalf. I tasted more than 70 wines and was not surprised to find wine quality very high across the bobaudaard. Wines tasted were of various vintages, including the fresh, high-acid 2014s, the richer, well- balanced 2013s, and the fleshy, opulent 2012s and 2011s, both of which were fairly warm years.
Olim Bauda, La Villa, Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 2014
92
<p>Olim Bauda, La Villa, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is everything Barbera wines should be: bright, fresh, vinous, loaded with brambly fruit, lip-smacking acidity and smooth as silk. Excellent!</p>
2014
Olim BaudaBarbera d'Asti
Cascina Castlèt, Litina, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore, Piedmont, Italy, 2011
91
<p>Clean, fresh and bright, offering juicy red fruit aromas and flavours, and lots of early appeal. Cascina Castlet, Litina, Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2011 is an archetypal Barbera d’Asti from a recognised master of this wine.</p>
2011
Cascina CastlètBarbera d'Asti
Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 2014
91
<p>Richly textured, savoury wine that finishes with length, seriousness and subtlety. Velvety creaminess. Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is a standout Barbera d’Asti from one of Italy’s most underrated wine estates.Richly textured, savoury wine that finishes with length, seriousness and subtlety. Velvety creaminess. Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is a standout Barbera d’Asti from one of Italy’s most underrated wine estates.Richly textured, savoury wine that finishes with length, seriousness and subtlety. Velvety creaminess. Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is a standout Barbera d’Asti from one of Italy’s most underrated wine estates.Richly textured, savoury wine that finishes with length, seriousness and subtlety. Velvety creaminess. Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is a standout Barbera d’Asti from one of Italy’s most underrated wine estates.Richly textured, savoury wine that finishes with length, seriousness and subtlety. Velvety creaminess. Cascina Gilli, Le More, Barbera d’Asti 2014 is a standout Barbera d’Asti from one of Italy’s most underrated wine estates.</p>
2014
Cascina GilliBarbera d'Asti
Luca Ferraris, La Regina, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore, Piedmont, Italy, 2012
91
<p>Luca Ferraris, La Regina, Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2012 is the usual full-throttle style for Ferraris, who likes his wines flavourful, big and bold; the relatively hot 2012 vintage contributes to the rich, fleshy, almost red-cherry, syrupy texture.</p> <p> </p>
2012
Luca FerrarisBarbera d'Asti
Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta, Sant’Emiliano, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore, Piedmont, Italy, 2013
91
Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta, Sant’Emiliano, Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2013 has lovely red fruit, with freshness in spades and marvellously balanced (the 2012 vintage is just as good); not surprising, from an estate that also makes an outstanding Grignolino wine.
2013
Marchesi Incisa della RocchettaBarbera d'Asti
Marco Rabino, Baldore, Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 2014
91
Bright, saline, fresh and silky; this is an archetypal Barbera d’Asti, and delicious. It was hard to put the glass of Marco Rabino, Baldore, Barbera d’Asti 2014 back down.
2014
Marco RabinoBarbera d'Asti
Bava, Piano Alto, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore Nizza, Piedmont, Italy, 2011
90
<p>Clean, fresh and long, this is still closed and unyielding at present, but it does hint at considerable depth and purity of fruit. Even more so than other Nizza wines, Bava, Piano Alto, Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza 2011 is one for the cellar and ought to turn into something special.</p>
2011
BavaBarbera d'Asti
La Gironda, Le Nicchie, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore Nizza, Piedmont, Italy, 2012
90
Glyceral, velvety, opulent style with a high alcohol level contributing in smoothness and sweetness but lovely balance avoids making this seem hot.
2012
La GirondaBarbera d'Asti
Michele Chiarlo, La Court, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore Nizza, Piedmont, Italy, 2012
90
Powerful, structured but very long and refined wine, always one of Nizza’s benchmarks and always one of Chiarlo’s best wines every vintage.
2012
Michele ChiarloBarbera d'Asti
Michele Chiarlo, Le Orme, Barbera d'Asti, Superiore, Piedmont, Italy, 2013
90
Very modern interpretation of Barbera d’Asti Superiore, with strong notes of menthol and ultra-refined mouthfeel. For those who like their wines with a minty, austere refinement.
2013
Michele ChiarloBarbera d'Asti
Montalbera, Lequilibrio, Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 2013
90
Fleshy, velvety style that aims to please – and succeeds; Montalbera, Lequilibrio, Barbera d’Asti 2013 has a big chocolatey, plummy style that will appeal to all those who like their wines showy and smooth.
2013
MontalberaBarbera d'Asti
