Wine Glossary
Definition: Barbera
[bar-BEH-rah] Italian red-wine grape that can produce marvelous wines. It is Italy's third-most-planted red grape. Superior Barbera wines can exhibit a ripe currant flavor with a nuance of smokiness. Two DOC's in Italy's Piedmont region produce the most noteworthy Barbera wines. Barbera d'Alba makes wines that are 100 percent Barbera, while Barbera d'Asti may produce a blend. You can describe a typical Barbera as a pleasant, acidic wine, with low tannins, that goes well with the food. Recently the alcohol levels have been creeping up to the 13% level. Equally the lushness of the fruit has been evident.
Source: Answers.com; Wine Lover's Companion - R & S Herbst
