The Barbera grape is widespread in Piedmont, Lombardy, and various regions of central Italy. In Piedmont, it is distributed throughout the territory, particularly in the areas of Asti and Alba. “La” Barbera: by tradition, the name of the grape is indicated in the feminine form (la Barbera). The Barbera grape is less ancient than others cultivated in Piedmont, such as Moscato, Grignolino, and Nebbiolo. The first certain written evidence dates back to the late 18th century, although it is likely that the grisa or grisola described by Pier de Crescenzi in 1495 was indeed Barbera. Its cultivation has expanded significantly over the years, and today Barbera is the most widespread red grape variety in the region and, together with Sangiovese, the most widely distributed grape variety in Italy.

As a grape variety, Barbera is less sensitive to the territory than other typical Piedmontese varieties, such as Nebbiolo; however, its wines can exhibit some peculiar characteristics attributable to the various production areas. In the past, Barbera was considered a “rustic” wine due to its high fixed acidity, but over time, it has increased its reputation thanks to modern and appropriate winemaking processes. These processes have allowed for the creation of both excellent ready-to-drink wines and medium longevity wines with good structure that resist time and evolve with aging. Like Nebbiolo, Barbera also reflects the nature of the soil from which it originates, resulting in different imprints noticeable in the various denominations representing it. Barbera is the basis of two DOCG wines, both from Piedmont: Barbera d’Asti DOCG and Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG.