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
Barbera is hard to find in Singapore right now, so we have one bottle for you, and it's a special one. Available on Pop Up Wine Singapore. Click the wine name to shop it.
1. For a special occasion
Castello di Gabiano : Barbera d'Asti 'Adornes Superiore' 2013
Piedmont, Italy | $85 / bottle
Barbara's pick in Little Italy Wine Box
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
Taste her entire tribe
Little Italy Wine Box
Barbara says: "My Castello di Gabiano Barbera is in here, with Barbarella’s Barbaresco, Amanda’s Amarone, Marcella’s Montepulciano, and Chiara’s Chianti."
S$353 · Sale price
Price may change after the sale ends.
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 |
Meet Barbara
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