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What to pair with Barbera d’Asti DOCG
Fresh, inviting and with huge pairing potential, Barbera d’Asti is a wine designed for the dinner table.
Vitaliano Maccario, announced as the new president of the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato earlier this year, notes that Barbera as a grape variety has several qualities that make it gastronomically attractive: “It has good acidity, gentle tannins, and is approachable and very easy to drink.”
Maccario deems that fresh acidity to be a “peculiarity of Barbera”, and notes how Piedmont’s most revered grape, that which goes into Barolo and Barbaresco, does not have the attribute of drinkability: “I’ve always said that Nebbiolo is not a crowd pleaser, it’s a hard wine because it’s tannic, and when it’s fresh it’s even more tannic.”
As for food pairings, Maccario notes how the wines have had international success when complementing a variety of dishes, including Turin’s famed vitello tonnato, cod in Scandinavian nations and, especially for the “classic, fresh Barbera d’Asti” style, the cuisines of South East Asia – think a bánh mì, complete with chicken liver pâté and pickled vegetables, or a Thai red curry.
Given the multicultural nature of cuisine in the UK, the versatility of these wines is a major asset.
But there are key differences among the appellations that the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato oversees that may change what you opt to pair the wines with.
Barbera d’Asti DOCG
Produced from at least 90% Barbera grown on the best-exposed hills of Asti and Monferrato and vinified in steel, these wines have the hallmark freshness. When young, they offer aromas of cherry, plum, flowers, balsamic and a slight spice, making them a good match for meaty white fish, like turbot or monkfish. Even traditional fish and chips would be improved by a glass.
For Superiore wines, which have spent some time in oak and have greater complexity and ageing potential, they would work with, if we’re thinking about classic British dishes, roast pork belly with crackling, with the acidity providing much-needed balance to the fat. If going down a more Italian route, then, in the same vein, a spiced porchetta would also be an excellent pairing.
Nizza DOCG
Made from 100% Barbera sourced from an 18 municipality production area prized for the longstanding quality of its grapes, these wines, despite their historic excellence, only achieved DOCG status in 2014. Thanks to the 18 months of ageing, at least six of which take place in wood, these are wines that boast of darker cherries and plums, as well as that balsamic flourish, and, due to the oak, cinnamon and cocoa. On the plate, the tannins are noticeable but velvety, and the finish is long.
A wine of this calibre deserves a more strongly-flavoured food to accompany, like wild mushrooms, venison, or even wild boar.
However, the consorzio does not just concern itself with wines made from Barbera…
Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG
An uncommon vine grown in the province of Asti, in the area of Castagnole Monferrato and in a few other municipalities, Ruchè is one of the rarest native vines among those grown in the Asti Monferrato area, growing in calcareous and dry soils subject to great exposure to the sun. Floral, spicy, and with good aromatic persistence, this is a proven pairing with braised beef dishes, whether it be ragù and fresh egg pasta, or a winter stew with suet dumplings.
Terre Alfieri DOCG
This wine gained DOC status in 2009 and DOCG status in 2020. The designation includes Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo and Terre Alfieri Arneis, two different variations based on the use of red or white grapes, both grown exclusively on hillsides with clayey, calcareous and sandy soils and their combinations. In sensory terms, Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo has a delicate bouquet and light tannins; it also exists as a Superiore or a Riserva. Terre Alfieri Arneis stands out for its distinctive finesse, and can be made as a Superiore style. The Arneis would be good served alongside creamy, rich dishes, like a korma curry or cacio e pepe, while the Nebbiolo, with its light tannins, could work well with roasted game birds, such as pheasant.
While the wines the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato oversees would be a worthy addition to any meal, it is important not to overlook the efforts that its 404 associated companies put into their fruit, as Maccario says: “This uniqueness is only possible thanks to constant cooperation between man and nature. It is the result of hundreds of years of work carried out by our men and women who have been able to maintain, but also to interpret according to the times, the wine-growing tradition, respecting history and the landscape.”
