Barbera wine information

Philippines wine supplier Manila wine shop discusses wine by the grape variety Barbera.

October 4, 2010

Barbera

Barbera has endured decades of begrudged tolerance among winemakers and wine lovers alike, a grape easily dismissed as undeserving of respect or adoration.

Barbera, the Rodney Dangerfield of Italian Wine

Respect is rarely automatic, not always deserved and not taken lightly. Barbera has lacked respect in the wine world because it was said to be too acidic, too rustic, too coarse, lacking flavor and compromised too easily. Barbera’s only apparent redeeming quality was its cheapness or more modestly put, its value. Perhaps it has had a bad reputation because it is a primary Piedmont resident in Italy’s northwest wine region, where the other two grape varietals, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, overshadow the lowly Barbera in respect and admiration. It’s grown in other Italian wine regions, in fact, after Sangiovese, Barbera is the second most planted grape in the boot-country, but there’s no correlation with that fact and that people love and praise their Chiantis, their Brunellos, and their Barolos more. While Barbera has been sneered at, spat upon and spurned, bottles of it are commonly found as the table wine in Italian restaurants. What do they know that the snooty critics don’t? Barbera may be underrated, but it’s the everyday underrated drinking wine.

At Home in Piedmont

The wines people think of when Piedmont is discussed are Barolo, Barbaresco and Dolcetto. They deserve their kudos, no question about their worthiness. Barbera’s reputation for creating lackluster character, dearth of flavor and biting acidic wines has started to wear off. The wines deserve a chance. In general, the best Barberas are found in the Piedmont.

Without question Barbera’s will probably never rise to the stature of Barolos or Brunellos, but winemakers are getting wiser in their approach to and handling of the grape. They are planting the vines in better sites, reducing yields and paying more attention to wine production. Longer aging in oak has proven effective to enhance Barbera’s spartan character, bring out flavor, and build balance in structure.

For decades Barbera has suffered under neglect and lack of attention, but the new style is bringing out the richness in the fruit that in turn balances the grape’s inherent acidity. The result is a Barbera that many years ago would not be recognized. Ironically, in the Piedmont Barolo’s gets the accolades but Barbera outplants the Nebbiolo grape by about fifteen times. Part of the reason might be attributed to Barbera’s hardy knack to grow profusely in places other grapes whine and moan and then wither and die.

There are five D.O.C. in the Piedmont for Barbera but there are only two that should get your attention, the best to check out are:

• Barbera D’Alba
• Barbera D’Asti

Barbera Defined

Contrary to Barolo or Barbaresco, a Barbera wine is not a dark and sinister purple but a brighter ruby red. Also, Barbera has negligible tannins and does not age as well. It’s probably a good idea to drink the wine when it’s fairly young, say within four to six years of the vintage date. As it ages, the color will turn to garnet with brownish edges. Regarding its flavors, when expertly done, Barbera shows modes of black cherries, black berries, currants and plums.

Source: http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Barbera

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars based in Clark Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation.  This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampana Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila.  Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

This wine shop in Angeles Clark Philippines is also renowned for a very unique product called Vintage Beer which many characterize as “Champagne beer” because it comes in a bottle with a Champagne stopper and metal restrainer.  Vintage beers are top-of-the-line luxury beers bottle-conditioned for a slow fermentation to take place inside the bottle, a process that is very similar to Champagne which is designed to not only create the bubbles but also for an amazing complexity and depth of flavors.

For fans of Port and Sauternes, this wine shop in Clark Pampanga has a large selection of vintage port, Sauternes and Barsac as well as Eiswein/Icewine from Austria and Germany.  Likewise, there is a good selection of Vintage Champagne at the wine shoppers’ disposal in the cellars of this wine shop in Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila

Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple:  after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave.  From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City.  From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Clark Wine Center

Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building

Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,

Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars

Manila Sales Office

3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,

Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

(632) 637-5019   0917-520-4393  ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.  Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.