Barbera Wine Series: Barbera d’Asti, the top Monferrato wine

Ready to get deeper into your barbera wine education? Next up: your guide to the top Monferrato wine, Barbera d’Asti. We’ve got all you need to know about styles, production, and Barbera d’Asti wine DOCG requirements. 

In our first piece on barbera wine, we took a broad look at the barbera grape and the resulting wine. Now, let’s focus a little more closely on its land of origin: the Monferrato wine region. 

The Monferrato in Northern Italy’s Piedmont region sits about 60 km (37 miles) east of Turin and 100 km (62 miles) south-west from Milan. It’s on the right bank of the River Po where the river runs at the foot of the Monferrato hills. 

Scarpa Winery: A Monferrato Wine Pioneer

The historic Scarpa winery is located in southwestern Piedmont, producing traditional wines from the area’s indigenous grape varieties – from barbera and nebbiolo to lesser-known varieties like freisa and brachetto. Since the 1900s, Scarpa’s traditional wine making approach has been anchored in a deep respect for its land and terroir. The magic in these wines happens in the vineyards – not the cellar. Scarpa produces the most important wines of the area, cultivated from the best vineyard sites. The winery adheres to strict sustainable farming practices, giving the Scarpa wines natural balance and harmony.

To read more about Scarpa’s commitment to Sustainability in wine.
Click here.

The Monferrato wine region

With an average of 2000 hours (nearly 84 days) of sun annually, combined with a gentle, mild, and dry climate the Monferrato wine region is optimal for grape cultivation. Recordings of the grape date back to the 16th century. 

While there are a few main elements, soil is the primary component that dictates Barbera d’Asti wine styles. The northern territory’s more calcareous soils gives these Barbera d’Asti wines deeper color and more power. Monferrato’s south has sandier soil, making lighter and easier drinking Barbera d’Asti wines. 

 Barbera d’Asti: What is the ‘d’Asti meaning?”

The ‘d’asti’ meaning simply tells you that the grapes are grown and the wine is produced in the hilly area of the province of Asti (67 municipalities) and Alessandria (51 municipalities).

The d’Asti meaning took on a greater significance in 1970 with the granting of DOC status. That was further elevated in 2008 when Barbera d’Asti wines were granted DOCG status. 

 Barbera d’Asti wine: Understanding the label

In Italy, DOCG status is coveted, branding it one of Italy’s best wines. While to most wine lovers the DOCG fascetta represents best in class, for wine producers it means a whole set of rules and regulations to ensure that the labels that bear the varietal or regional name are adhering to the strictest of protocols. Why? To ensure quality.

So, let’s try to break it down.

Our Barbera D’Asti DOCG visual above gives you the technical details. But, let’s briefly summarize what exactly is in your glass.

• Barbera d’Asti DOCG and Barbera d’Asti DOCG Superiore may use a single vineyard or vigna name on the label to recognize a specific subzone or top cru. 
• Barbera d’Asti DOCG Superiore requires at least 6 months of wood aging. The thing to note here is that the practice is used for juice with more potential for complexity (older vines, grapes grown in more calcareous soil, etc). The wood aging – type is at the discretion of the producer (barrel, tonneaux, botti grande) – builds up tannin and structure. 
• Fresh, younger drinking steel-aged Barbera d’Asti wines (solo acciaio) require a minimum of 4 months cellar aging. You will never find a steel-aged Barbera d’Asti wine labeled Superiore. Don’t be fooled by the lack of wood. Well grown steel-aged Barbera d’Asti wines can last up to 8 years giving ethereal beauty and depth. In fact, Scarpa’s steel-aged Casa Scarpa Barbera d’Asti DOCG doesn’t even release until two years after harvest and ages with beautiful elegant notes. 
• Barbera d’Asti DOCG requirements dictate 90 percent use of barbera grapes with 10 percent non-aromatic red wine grapes allowed. However, today most producers use 100 percent barbera grapes.

More to come, but check out our break down of Scarpa’s three Barbera d’Asti wines. And, don’t miss our video series with Scarpa Winemaker Silvio Trinchero:

• VIDEO: Scarpa Cru: I Bricchi 2015
• VIDEO: The Classic: CasaScapra Barbera d’Asti

Try our barbera wines and more in the tasting room (now open; check out details for safety regulations – appointments required) or order some from our online wine shop.

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Barbera Wine Series: Get to know one of the Best Italian Wines

If you like Scarpa, chances are you are a barbera wine drinker. Since its our specialty, let’s explore the grape starting with a proper introduction.

Ready to learn about barbera wine?

We’ve put together a series to explore this robust, tantalizing Italian red wine. This post covers:

• the barbera grape,
• origin and history,
• grape and wine characteristics,
• food and wine pairings and consideration.

What is Barbera? A snapshot of one of the best Italian wines 

Barbera is indigenous to Italy’s north, specifically the Monferrato wine region in southwestern Piedmont with recordings of the grape dating back to the 16th century. 

While Barbera grapes are first noted in the Monferrato, they have no genetic relation to the primary Piedmont red grapes of dolcetto and nebbiolo. Ampelographer Pierre Viala, speculates that barbera comes from Oltrepò Pavese in Italy’s Lombardy region. 

Where is the Monferrato Wine Region? 

Situated in Italy’s north-west Piedmont region, the Monferrato wine region spans the provinces of Asti and Alessandria. It’s about 60 km (37 miles) east of Turin and a 100 km (62 miles) south-west of Milan on the right bank of the River Po, which runs at the foot of the Monferrato hills.

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Barbera Grapes: The Facts

• The Vines: Barbera is the most widespread red grape variety cultivated in the Piedmont region covering approximately 30 percent of its 43000 hectares of vines. 
• Barbera Grapes: The grape is highly adaptable and relatively heat tolerant making it popular in New World wine regions as well as Italy (more below). 
• Taste Profile: High acidity in the barbera grape gives the wines a bright, fresh taste profile showing ripe, vibrant fruits, and very little tannins. 
• Ageability: Acidity is a component of ageability making barbera wines cellar-worthy. However, since young barbera wine drinks so easily many don’t even think to let it hold.

Types of Barbera Wine

In general, barbera in Italy is a still, single-variety wine. However usage varies across the country and the world. As a blending grape, it lends acidity and color. In addition, some great metodo classico sparkling variations exist in the Monferrato as well as the Langhe. In the past, frizzante versions were also widely produced and consumed as a traditionally low cost wine. 

The two best known wines produced with the barbera grape are from Alba and Asti in the Piedmont wine region. These neighboring areas have a handful of different styles and production methods for this Italian red wine favorite. However, the differences  can be generalized as follows:  

• Barbera d’Asti wines tend to be more rustic, showing lively femininity, intensity, complexity, and dark fruits. These wines benefit from cellaring, particularly when aged in wood, which builds up structure and tannins. 
• Barbera d’Alba wines have lower acidity, more finesse and elegance, and show floral notes like violet and darker fruits. 

Barbera wines outside Piedmont and the Monferrato wine region: In Italy a small amount of barbera wine can be found in the Italian wine regions of Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Lombardy, and Sardinia.

As noted, warmer New World regions have taken a shine to it, using it in different ways:  

• South Australia producing varietal wines. 
• Argentina using it as a blending grape.  
• California’s Central Valley using barbera wine grapes for bulk production.
• California’s Sierra Foothills making oaked varietal barbera wines.

Barbera food pairing: 

The food-friendly acidity of barbera makes it popular for a wide range of dishes – traditional Italian and a vast range of international cuisines. We’ll get more into that as well as provide recipes to try at home. But, some barbera pairing favorites at Scarpa include: 

• Fresh-dough pasta: be it tajarin or tagliatelle, egg-based is traditional. Serve with a bolognese sauce or any type of meat or vegetarian ragu 
• Risotto: especially truffles, pumpkin, roasted carrot or a risotto al barbera. 
• Charcuterie and cheeses: Get creative! If you are in the region, try some Castelmagno.
• Barbecue: Smoke and char is magic with barbera wines. The palate-cleansing acidity is a perfect match for the heat, fat, and complex flavors of a good barbecue sauce or dry rub. A younger drinking, steel-aged barbera pairing is great with lighter grilled foods – think chicken, rabbit (traditional in Piedmont), and sausage. For richer red meats, try a barbera with a little age and some wood aging.   
• Fatty fish: Not many people think of it, but oily, fatty fish are great barbera pairing thanks to the acidity. Think salmon or cod. 
• Vegetarian ideas: Melanzane al parmigiano and dry curries make great vegetarian favorites for the fruity barbera pairing.

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Piedmont is Zona Gialla, so join us to explore our barbera wines.

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Coming up next in our Barbera Wine Series: Piedmont styles and production methods, plus a breakdown of DOCG aging requirements . 

A unique multi-vintage library of top Piedmontese wines.

Last week, we sat down and thumbed through some old editions of the Gambero Rosso Guide to the Wines of Italy. All of them dated back to the era when Slow Food was still publishing the guide and Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini was still the editor-in-chief.

We found three great quotes about Mario Pesce (read them here) and as promised, here are notes on the first one — perhaps the most important.

“Wine fads, fashions and even sea changes have never altered Mario Pesce’s philosophy. For Mario, a great wine never drinks well when young.”

(Gambero Rosso Guide to the Wines of Italy 2001)

So little was written about Mario Pesce while he was still alive (he died in 2004). He didn’t found the Scarpa winery and estate but he was the one that lifted it to greatness in the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately, he died before the new wave of wine writing and heightened interest in Italian wines began to take shape.

But he does speak through the massive library of wines that he left behind. And his philosophy, as described above, also manifests itself in the winery’s approach to sustainability in viticulture, winemaking, and the pace at which it releases its labels.

That’s the 2008 Barbera d’Asti La Bogliona, the winery’s flagship, in the photo above. Some will find this hard to believe but 2008 is the winery’s current release for that wine.

Most top producers of cru-designate Barbera are shipping their 2016s and 2015s. Scarpa, on the other hand, is shipping a wine that’s 12 years old.

Scarpa’s financial model wouldn’t be possible today if Mario Pesce hadn’t had the vision that he used to hold back wines in the winery’s cellar. Where most wineries aim to ship all the wine they have (in order to create cash flow), Pesce came up with a creative model that allowed him to hold on to sizable allocations.

It also allows Scarpa to sell wine even following a bad vintage when they wouldn’t have enough wine to supply the market.

But most importantly, in keeping with Pesce’s approach, it allows Scarpa to sell the wines when the winery feels they are ready to drink.

The 2008 Barbera d’Asti La Bogliona that I recently tasted had plenty of years ahead of it. But it’s also drinking spectacularly right now, with notes of underripe and ripe black fruit, rich earthiness, and electric acidity that makes the wine extremely fresh despite its age. It was extraordinary.

And it wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for Pesce who believed that a great wine never drinks well when young.

“Nebbiolo might be the crown jewel of Piemonte, but Freisa is its buried treasure.”

A few days ago, Cult of the Vine, the popular Australian wine shop in Brunswick (Melbourne, Victoria) posted the above photo on its Instagram with the following note: “Nebbiolo might be the crown jewel of Piemonte, but Freisa is its buried treasure.”

The post brought to mind an op-ed published by Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement, on the Slow Wine blog: “Fermiamo il re Barolo ruba terra agli altri vini” (“We must stop King Barolo before it steals too much land from other wines”).

In his essay, he contends that the growing popularity of Barolo and Barbaresco has prompted many growers in Langa and Monferrato to grub up their other traditional grape varieties in order to plant increasingly lucrative Nebbiolo in its place.

As a result, Piedmont is losing much of its viticultural legacy — quite literally — to erosion.

From the earliest years of Mario Pesce’s tenure as the winery’s director in the post-war era, Scarpa has diligently grown a wide variety of native Piedmontese varieties, including Ruché, Brachetto, Dolcetto, and, of course, Barbera and Freisa. Instead of following market trends as other growers and producers have, Scarpa has remained faithful to its primary mission of preserving Piedmont’s viticultural heritage.

This strategy has actually proved to be economically sustainable as well: With the current wave of interest in relatively unknown grape varieties and the fact that Barolo and Barbaresco are inaccessible to many young wine lovers because of the price, Scarpa has never lost its appeal among the progressive wine crowd.

Today, we’re seeing more and more Piedmont producers who are growing and making Freisa and many of the wines are excellent. But they’re just discovering something we’ve known all along: Freisa is Piedmont’s “buried treasure”!

Cult of the Vine, we couldn’t agree more! Thank you for the great post.

VIDEO: Scarpa winemaker Silvio Trinchero presents Barbera d’Asti I Bricchi 2015.

The third in our series of educational videos by winemaker Silvio Trinchero. In this episode, he presents the estate’s Barbera d’Asti I Bricchi, one of its historic crus. In the 1970s, Scarpa became one of the first wineries — one of just of two at the time — to release a cru- or single-vineyard-designate Barbera. Today, it’s common for Barbera growers and producers to release “site specific” wines like these. But at the time, the idea of a single-vineyard wine from the appellation was unheard of. It’s just one of the ways that Scarpa reshaped Piedmontese viticulture (and Italian viticulture for that matter).

Next in the series, we’ll publish Silvio’s presentation of the Barbera d’Asti La Bogliona, the estate’s top cru. And, watch Silvio’s video on CasaScarpa, our classical youthful Barbera d’Asti wine.

VIDEO: Sandra Crittenden on 2006 Monferrato Freisa Secco La Selva di Moirano.

In the latest in our series of “Scarpa Cellar Dive” virtual tasting videos, we received this clip from Houston-based wine writer and blogger Sandra Crittenden.

Sandra writes a wine column for Galveston Monthly, posts regularly on her popular wine blog Wine Thoughts, and serves as a judge each year at the Houston Rodeo Wine Show and Auction.

In the video, she tastes with her daughter Morgan Taylor, who, following in her mom’s footsteps, has completed the second level of certification by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Sandra and Morgan tasted the 2006 Monferrato Freisa Secco La Selva di Moirano (click here for our U.S. importer’s wonderful write-up on the wine).

This wine, a current release for Scarpa, is available in Texas and across the U.S. Just ask your favorite wine shop for details (or contact us and we’ll source it for you).

Thank you Sandra for this wonderful video and tasting note!

VIDEO: Scarpa winemaker Silvio Trinchero discusses the estate’s classic Barbera d’Asti “Casa Scarpa”

This is the second in a series of educational videos on the Scarpa estate and winery and its wines. In this clip, winemaker Silvio Trinchero presents Scarpa’s classic Barbera d’Asti known as “Casa Scarpa” which we could translate as “Domaine Scarpa.”

It’s one of our most approachable and affordable wines yet it also captures the Scarpa spirit: Traditional in style, it’s a great example of the type of Barbera d’Asti that the people of Monferrato like to open at mealtime. Zinging but balanced acidity, restrained alcohol, and beautiful fruit flavors make this wine a favorite of Italians across the country.

The fruit for this wine is sourced, as Silvio notes, from the estate’s two historic “cru” or “growths” (“growth” is the literal translation of the French “cru”). A cru is a vineyard that is particularly well suited for a given grape variety.

Silvio discusses the two “crus” in the next two videos in the series. Click for I Bricchi Barbera d’Asti 2015.

VIDEO: Scarpa winery and estate overview with winemaker Silvio Trinchero

We asked Scarpa winemaker SIlvio Trinchero to prepare this short video including an overview of the estate and winery and the portfolio of wines we produced. Silvio worked side-by-side with Scarpa’s historic cellar master Carlo Castino for more than a decade before taking over as chief winemaker. (Carlo, who lives at the winery still tastes and consults with Silvio on a daily basis.)

This video is the first in a series of educational videos we have created. Stay tuned for more!

Rouchet (Ruché) vertical tasting notes

The following are tasting notes by Australian Burgundy lover and intrepid wine traveler Greg Love, who recently visited Scarpa and tasted with winemaker Silvio Trinchero. Thank you, Greg, for your visit and the wonderful tasting notes!

Ruché is an indigenous grape of Piedmont that has seriously interesting potential, as it has the capacity to express itself in a winsome manner when young and to age beautifully. A mini vertical from 2014-1996 at the Scarpa winery in Nizza, where they label it as “Rouchet,” revealed what an intriguingly fine wine it can be in the glass, both as a young wine, and then with 12 and 24 years in the bottle. Scarpa’s Rouchet is made from 100% Ruché harvested at circa 35 hectolitres a hectare. it is vinified in tank and then it spends 12 months in stainless steel and 12 months in bottle before it is released.

Scarpa 2014 Rouchet Monferrato Rosso

The 2014 Scarpa Rouchet is very elegant and aromatically vivid, with fresh wild strawberries, rose and pansy petals, a touch of sweet Asian spices, and background nuances of blueberries and juicy pears. The palate is laced with violets and iris, with an intriguingly agreeable herbal savour. With green and white peppercorns, sappy flower nuances and fine acidity there is both nuance and complexity to the glinting fresh finish. Excellent.

Scarpa 2007 Rouchet Monferrato Rosso

2007 was a hot vintage as I recall. The nose is aromatically expressive, with liqueur framboise, anise, cloves and soft chamois leather, supported by ground Asian spices and peppercorns. The palate is richly elegant and harmonious, with lovely intensity and a plush texture. The tannins are sweet and harmonious and it finishes long, supple and engaging. Makes one want to reach for another glass.
Excellent

Scarpa 1996 Rouchet Vino Rosso da Tavola

From 2003, Rouchet was bottled as Monferrato Rosso DOC. The 1996 Rouchet is so perfumed and uplifting, with sweet violets, musk and a panoply of flowers, including iris and orchids. A very real sense of the garden here. The medium-bodied palate is laced with fennel, anise and liquorice, with green peppercorns and dusty Asian spices. The fresh acidity and a hint of Christmas spices, particularly clove and orange make the flower, herb and spice layered finish very enjoyable. Excellent+

20-year-old Scarpa Dolcetto by-the-glass at Perbacco in San Francisco

One of the things that makes Antica Casa Scarpa such a unique winery is its vast library of back vintages. And not just back vintages of Barbera d’Asti La Bogliona (its top wine), Barolo, and Barbaresco.

The wine cellar at Scarpa, which stretches back to the 1970s and beyond, also includes bottlings of other native Piedmontese grape varieties, like the Scarpa Dolcetto d’Acqui La Selva di Moirano.

In an Italian wine world where Nebbiolo always seems to take center stage, many don’t realize that grapes like Dolcetto can also make age-worthy wines that deserve our attention. But Scarpa’s holdings give us ample reason to (re)discover why Nebbiolo isn’t the only native Piedmontese that we should hold in equal esteem.

Case in point: The 2000 Scarpa Dolcetto d’Acqui La Selva di Moirano, currently being served by-the-glass at Perbacco in San Francisco, where Swedish-born chef Staffan Terje blends creative and traditional Italian cooking to create one of the most compelling menus we’ve ever experienced. Hands down, it’s one of the best Italian restaurants in the U.S. if not the world.

As Scarpa’s U.S. importer Ernest Ifkovitz writes on his website, “if it’s grown in the right soil, and picked and vinified with care,” long-term aged Dolcetto can have “elegant tannic structure…, with lots of classic Dolcetto black tea and ink in the nose.”

This year’s release is from the 2000 vintage, a warm growing season that made for rich wines with power and the structure needed for aging. It’s drinking extremely well now. And even better when paired with Staffan’s superb cooking.

Image via the Perbacco Facebook.