Barbara’s Favorite Wines
Barbera
Cheerful, Young Lady from Piedmont
Meet Barbara, a young lady from Piedmont in Northern Italy. She's cheerful and down-to-earth, dresses elegantly in very dark red, and has a medium build. Back home, Barbara loves gardening herbs, and she sometimes travels to California and Australia, where California’s sunny weather makes her even more cheerful.
In wine terms? Barbara is Barbera, the most planted grape in Piedmont and one of Italy's great everyday reds.
Unlike its grander neighbor Nebbiolo, the grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbera is usually made to be enjoyed young.
Expect a medium-bodied wine with high acidity and low tannins, elegant and surprisingly deep in color. You'll pick up dark cherry, blackberry, and plum, with violet and dried herb notes when it's made in Italy. In California, Barbera tends to turn riper and more fruit-forward, just like Barbara herself under sunny skies.
Piedmont is Barbara's homeland, but you'll also find good Barbera from California and Australia.
It's traditionally bottled on its own, though some Piedmont wine estates build a blend around it, with Barbera leading and grapes like Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon filling it out.
Now let's find you some bottles she'd actually approve of.
Barbara's Top Picks
We searched Pop Up Wine Singapore first, but their Barbera lineup is limited right now, so most of these bottles come from Straits Wine Singapore instead. Click any wine name to shop it.
1. For a weeknight pasta night
Braida : Curej Barbera d'Asti 2023
Piedmont, Italy | $49 / bottle
Barbara says: "This is the Barbera our family already has on the dinner table. Bright red cherry, raspberry, and a little floral lift, with the kind of energetic acidity that makes you want a second glass with your pasta. James Suckling gave the previous vintage 91 points, and honestly, that just confirms what my family always knew."
Pairs with: Weeknight pasta, pizza, or tomato-based dishes
2. For a Sunday roast
Braida : Monte Bruna Barbera d'Asti 2022
Piedmont, Italy | $59 / bottle
Barbara says: "Bright ruby with red cherry and a hint of warm spice. This one has a little more grip than my everyday bottle, so it holds up next to a proper Sunday roast. James Suckling scored a recent vintage of this wine 91 points, and I can certainly see why."
Pairs with: Sunday roast chicken, grilled sausages, or aged pecorino
3. To impress at a dinner party
Braida : Il Bacialé Monferrato Rosso 2019
Piedmont, Italy | $66 / bottle
Barbara says: "This is what happens when my Barbera brings company. The wine estate that makes it calls the blend an arranged marriage, and it works beautifully: deep crimson, dark berries, and tobacco, with Barbera leading at 60% and Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon filling out the structure. James Suckling and Wine Spectator have both scored recent vintages 92 points. Serve this one when you want to impress."
Pairs with: Braised short rib, roast lamb, or aged hard cheeses
4. Great value-for-money
G.D. Vajra : Barbera d'Alba 2023
Piedmont, Italy | $69 / bottle
Barbara says: "G.D. Vajra is one of the most respected wine estates in Barolo. This isn't a Barolo though, it's their Barbera d'Alba, grown in the wider Alba zone around their home village with the same care. Deep ruby with blackberry, violet, and a hint of dark chocolate, and it scored 92 points from Falstaff. Real quality and gentle on the wallet."
Pairs with: Mushroom risotto, grilled sausages, or braised beef
5. For a special occasion
Castello di Gabiano : Barbera d'Asti 'Adornes Superiore' 2013
Piedmont, Italy | $85 / bottle
Barbara says: "This one has been in the making since 2013: eighteen months in barrel and even more time in the bottle, and you can taste every bit of that patience. Tobacco, dark berry, and licorice, with tannins that have gone soft and polished. Wine Enthusiast scored it 89 points and Wine & Spirits Magazine 88. Save this one for a special occasion."
Pairs with: Grilled red meats, roasted game, or aged cheese
Barbera Cheat Sheet
| Body | Medium-bodied |
| Color | Deep ruby, almost opaque at the core |
| Tasting notes | Dark cherry, blackberry, and plum, with violet and dried herb notes |
| Serve at | 15–20°C |
| Best with | Tomato-based pasta, pizza, roasted meats, and aged cheeses |
| Avoid with | Delicate white fish, raw seafood, or very spicy dishes |
| Glass type | An aroma collector glass with a slightly closed rim, to concentrate its violet and berry aromas |
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