Wine Denomination from Piedmont
Barbaresco is a dry red wine from Piedmont in northwest Italy, made only from the Nebbiolo grape. It comes from a small zone in the Langhe hills just northeast of the town of Alba. Like its neighbor Barolo, it is pale in color but has high acidity, firm tannins and aromas of roses, red cherries and tar. Barbaresco became a DOC in 1966 and a DOCG, Italy's top quality level, in 1980.
Barbaresco is always dry. It has almost no residual sugar, a minimum of 12.5% alcohol (most bottles are 13.5–14.5%) and plenty of tannin. Young Barbaresco tastes of red cherry, raspberry and rose, with a firm, drying grip. With age it turns softer and more savory, with notes of dried roses, licorice, leather, tobacco and truffle.
Both wines are 100% Nebbiolo from the Langhe, and they are made in much the same way. The main differences are:
- Size: Barbaresco has well under 800 hectares of vineyards, about a third of Barolo's area.
- Ageing: Barbaresco needs 26 months before release (9 in wood), against 38 months (18 in wood) for Barolo.
- Style: Barbaresco is usually a little lighter and softer, with tannins that settle sooner. It is often ready to drink a few years earlier than Barolo from the same vintage.
- Price: Barbaresco usually costs less than Barolo at the same level of quality.
The gap is not a rule, though. A top Barbaresco can be as powerful and long-lived as many Barolos. People who search "Barbaresco vs Nebbiolo" should know that Barbaresco is Nebbiolo: a bottle labeled Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba uses the same grape from a wider area, with shorter ageing and a lower price. For a full comparison, read our Barolo vs Barbaresco guide.
In the US, a classic Barbaresco from a reliable producer costs about $35–60. Single-vineyard bottles and Riservas usually cost $60–120. Gaja's Barbaresco and its single-vineyard wines sell for several hundred dollars. Barbaresco is never really cheap for three reasons:
- Small production: the zone is tiny and its steep hillside vineyards are mostly worked by hand.
- Ageing: the wine cannot be sold until more than two years after the harvest, four years for a Riserva.
- Demand: the best producers and crus are collected worldwide and sell out quickly.
For value, look for the classic Barbaresco of the Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative, or a producer's blend of several vineyards rather than a single cru.
There is no single best Barbaresco, but these producers are widely seen as benchmarks:
- Traditional style (long maceration, large old casks): Produttori del Barbaresco, Bruno Giacosa, Roagna, Giuseppe Cortese and Castello di Neive.
- Modern-leaning style (shorter maceration, some small French barrels): Gaja, the estate that made Barbaresco famous abroad, La Spinetta and Bruno Rocca.
- Reliable and easier to find: Albino Rocca, Marchesi di Grésy, Ceretto, Sottimano, Castello di Verduno, Musso, Cantina del Pino, Rizzi, Adriano Marco e Vittorio, Pio Cesare and Prunotto.
The Produttori del Barbaresco deserves a special mention. Founded in 1958, this cooperative of local growers is best known for its classic Barbaresco, a blend from its members' vineyards. In good years it also bottles nine single-vineyard Riservas, from Asili, Montefico, Montestefano, Muncagota, Ovello, Pajè, Pora, Rabajà and Rio Sordo.
Barbaresco can be made in three villages, Barbaresco, Neive and Treiso, plus San Rocco Seno d'Elvio, a small part of the town of Alba. Each village has a slightly different character:
- Barbaresco: the heart of the zone, with many of the most famous vineyards, such as Asili, Rabajà, Martinenga, Montestefano, Pora and Ovello.
- Neive: the village east of Barbaresco, often linked with fuller, more structured wines. Well-known crus include Gallina, Albesani (Santo Stefano), Serraboella and Starderi.
- Treiso: the highest village, usually giving lighter, more perfumed wines. Pajorè and Valeirano are among its best-known sites.
The soils are mostly calcareous marls, rich in clay and lime, close to those of the western Barolo villages. Since 2007, labels can name one of 66 official vineyard areas, called MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive).
Barbaresco follows the same vintage pattern as Barolo. Recent years widely praised by critics include 2016 and 2019, both classic, long-lived vintages. Riper, warmer years make wines that open up sooner.
Serve Barbaresco at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a large, wide glass. Open a young bottle an hour before drinking, or decant it to soften the tannins. Older bottles may throw a sediment, so stand them upright for a day and pour gently. Most Barbaresco drinks well from about 5 to 20 years after the vintage.
Barbaresco suits savory dishes with some richness, though it is a bit more flexible than Barolo. Classic Piedmontese pairings are tajarin (thin egg pasta) with butter and white truffle, agnolotti del plin (small stuffed pasta), mushroom risotto, roast veal and braised beef. It also works with duck, rabbit, game birds and aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano. Avoid delicate fish and very spicy food.
Barbaresco is pronounced bar-bah-RESS-koh, with the stress on the third syllable. Nebbiolo is neb-YOH-loh.
Barbaresco is one of the great red wines of Piedmont. Read our Piedmont wine guide for Barolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Gavi and the region's other wines. Our best Nebbiolo wines guide covers the grape across Italy. Or browse every Barbaresco in our catalog below.