Barbera d'Asti

The Protected Designation of Origin "Barbera d'Asti", that identifies the wines: Barbera d'Asti and Barbera d'Asti Superiore. Also included are the sub-areas of these wines, which are: "Tinella", "Colli Astiani" and "Astiano".

Grapes

All "Barbera d'Asti" wines are 90% made up of grapes from Barbera vines. The remaining 10% can be produced using other non-aromatic black grapes, suitable for cultivation in Piedmont.

Physicochemical and Organoleptic properties

Both "Barbera d'Asti" and "Barbera d'Asti Superiore", including their sub-areas, have a ruby red colour that turns to garnet with ageing. The smell is intense and characteristic, tending towards ethereal. The flavor is dry and full-bodied, quiet and with aging becomes more harmonious and full flavor. The minimum total alcoholic strength by volume is 12% vol., which rises to 12.5% vol. for Superiore and wines with vineyard specification.

Grape production area

"The production area covers the entire province of Asti and a large portion of that of Alessandria, in Piedmont. These areas are characterised by a hilly landscape, with a maximum height of 650 m above sea level and clayey, loamy, sandy or calcareous soils.

Specificity and historical notes

"Barbera d'Asti" is the Piedmontese wine with the highest quantity of production and is strongly linked to the traditions of this region. It was already defined as "well known" in 1873, in the "Ampelography of the Province of Alessandria", signed by Leardi and Demaria.