My “Ah ha” moment with wine involved a Berbera. “A what?” I asked. I’d never heard of it and really, really liked it.

Barbera (Bar-BEAR-ah) is a grape that is grown throughout Italy, especially in the Piedmont region. It is Italy’s third most grown grape behind Sangiovese (most notably known as the grape in Chianti) and Nebbiolo. In Italy, it’s known to produce inexpensive table wine that is enjoyed regularly with meals.

It’s also grown on a significantly smaller scale in California. Much of it is grown in the Central Valley where it is widely used as a blend component in mass-produced jug wines. This is because Barbera is a very vigorous grape variety that can produce high yields. But, it is truly being produced into fine wines in Northern California’s El Dorado and Amador Counties as well as a couple other smaller wine producing regions.

Like so many wines, Barbera can be different depending on where it is grown and how the winemaker treats it. Barbera is typically a medium-bodied wine with lighter tannins and higher acidity. It is usually enjoyed young (two to four years after harvest).

Next time I’ll get into more detail on this amazing grape and how different it can be. Until then, Cheers!