Barbera del Monferrato Superiore is the most structured version of the Barbera produced on the Monferrato hills in Piedmont: the area spans Alto and Basso Monferrato, in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti. For almost forty years it was a style of the Barbera del Monferrato DOC, recognised by the decree of 9 January 1970; in 2008 it became a DOCG in its own right. The numbers are small: about 44 hectares, with an output of 1,570 hectolitres.
A long history
In the «Ampelografia della Provincia di Alessandria» by Leardi and Demaria, from 1873, when that province also included the Asti area, we read that Barbera «is a very well-known grape and one of the main bases of the wines of the Asti area and of lower Monferrato, where it is native and has been grown for a very long time». The DOCG grew out of this tradition, with the idea of setting apart the Barberas meant to last from those to drink young.
The rules
The rules require at least 85% Barbera; the rest, up to 15%, may come from Dolcetto, Freisa and Grignolino. Minimum alcohol rises to 13%, and the wine must age for at least 14 months, at least 6 of them in cask. It may not be released before 1 January of the second year after the harvest.
The result is a deep ruby red, with aromas of ripe cherry, plum and spice, and some notes from the wood. The acidity typical of Barbera stays lively and supports a fuller body than the basic version: a wine that can improve in bottle for a few years.
At the table
It calls for substantial dishes: braised meat, red meat roasts, game, agnolotti with roast gravy and aged cheeses. The same area produces Barbera d'Asti DOCG and Nizza, two other ways of reading the same grape.
