In 2008 Barbera del Monferrato Superiore was singled out from the standard Barbera del Monferrato DOC and promoted to DOCG status – the highest level of Italian wine classification. The standard rosso (red), semi-sparkling frizzante and lightly sweet abboccato wines remain under the standard Barbera del Monferrato title.
To earn the right to use the term superiore, a wine must reach a final alcohol level of at least 13% alcohol by volume, and must be aged for at least 14 months before release. A minimum of six months of this maturation period must be spent in barrel, which imparts complexity and ensures that the wine is substantially better prepared both for consumption and cellaring after purchase.
As is the case for all Barbera del Monferrato wine, this superiore must be made of least 85% Barbera, grown in the Monferrato hills of central and eastern Piedmont. The remaining 15% of the blend can be made up with any combination of Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto.
For more information on the Barbera del Monferrato area, visit Barbera del Monferrato.
