Wine
State of Play Barbera
Rich, savoury and juicy, Barbera's appeal is rising and quietly gaining momentum as a solid cool and warm region performer.
When it comes to the organised and reputable assessment of wine quality in Australia, the hierarchy starts at the capital city shows, makes its way down to the smaller regional shows and then on to the regular, commercially focused panels like our friends on the Wine Selectors Tasting Panel. Whilst sitting around sipping and spitting might look like fun, shows and panels are serious, and critically important not only to the overall quality of wine that you buy, but also the benchmarks set for winemakers and producers to follow.
The overall effect is that of a rising tide that brings quality, style and value for everyone - consumers and producers alike - gradually along with it. Just beneath these formal mechanisms, but no less important, are small groups of dedicated professionals who often donate time and experience to a single variety and/or style. Here is where you will find The International Barbera Challenge, run by ‘The Barbarians’; a group of winemakers, MW’s, show judges and growers who get together each year to enthusiastically assess and explore the best Barbera’s Australia can bottle.
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PASSIONATE PRACTITIONERS
Head of The Barbarians is Simon Joy, a passionate lover of wine who works for the world-famous Burgundian cooperage François Frères. Simon’s love affair with Barbera was ignited over a bottle of Giaconda Bolognas, Bricco dell’Uccellone whilst travelling in Nizza Monferatto. After being hooked, Simon returned to Australia and started the Challenge in 2010, with a format that involved tasting and judging Australian Barberas in the morning, then, over lunch, opening some great Italian bottles.
"To look at such esteemed wines together with the Australian wines was invaluable," explains Simon. "Measuring the stylistic interpretations of Barbera from around the world and benchmarking them against the Australians tickled the interest of our participants and guests immediately. It was very insightful, with useful, lively banter and animated opinions especially from our very patriotic Italians friends."
Back in 2010, the Challenge was a small affair with less than a dozen entries. Since that time, numbers and the quality have risen. "There has definitely been an overall improvement," Simon says. However, some of the early producers such as Chalk Hill, Coriole, Scarpantoni and David Hook were already producing world class wines since the early 2000s, and are simply getting better and better each year.
At the Challenge, the wines are tasted under show conditions. These flag-fliers are genuinely passionate about the variety and The Barbarians take it seriously. Some have skin in the game, and whilst great efforts are made so that individual producers are unable to assess their own wines, the process of assessment, discussion and the ensuing results have a definite bearing on the wines they’ll be crafting into the future; all are aware that their efforts will raise the bar, year on year.
OLD WORLD... AND NEW
High in natural acidity and low in tannins, Barbera’s origins trace to the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, where it thrived in the hilly landscapes of Asti and Monferrato. Since the 7th century, Barbera was cherished as a versatile grape, with high yields and ability to produce everyday drinking wines. It soon was the most-planted variety in Piedmont, but was not considered distinguished. However, in the last two decades, Barbera that came from lower-yielding vineyards and treated with French oak began to gain credibility and make their way around the world, thus inspiring new love for this ancient grape.
Barbera arrived in Australia in the 1950s and soon found homes with the Italian migrants that started making wine in the Riverina and the King Valley. And as winemakers began to travel and explore the Old World themselves, the variety began taking root in pockets of Mudgee, McLaren Vale, the Hunter, Orange, Hilltops in the 1990s, and eventually all over Australia.
Today, expect to find Barbera from all over Australia. With over 100 registered producers from Western Australia, Tasmania and all the way up to Queensland’s Granite Belt, it’s safe to say that Barbera is not going anywhere in a hurry.
APPEAL APLENTY
With a diverse array of soils and climates, the range of possibilities here in Australia - especially when compared to Piedmont - is quite vast. High in natural acidity and low in tannins, Barbera can be anything from a light, fresh glass full of slippery cherries, violets and raspberries that are perfectly palatable at room temp or with a light chill to take the heat out of the day, to a deep, brooding and medium-bodied glass of black and blue berries, black cherries and silky tannins lifted with forest floor and purple flowers.
In cooler areas like the King and Alpine Valleys of Victoria, Adelaide Hills, Orange and Hilltops, the wines tend to be richer and more complex wines due to longer ripening seasons and cooler nights, allowing for complexity and structure to develop alongside its natural characters of sour and fresh cherries, blackberries, herbs and liquorice.
In warmer climes, lower yields are the key to keeping the concentration up and the balance in check. These wines often tend to be riper in style, but the high levels of acidity open the door for fresher, lighter, nouveau-styled wines that are lifted, crunchier and approachable early. Either way, Australia has more possibilities with Barbera than most, and there are some delicious rabbit holes to go down
THE BARBARIANS
The panel assembled by Simon was led by MW (Master of Wine) Kim Milne, a 30-year veteran winemaker and global consultant who has been making Barbera in the Adelaide Hills with Bird in Hand for over ten years. Greg Clack is a fellow Barbarian, having been a winemaker for 20 years, with 18 of those as chief at Chain of Ponds in the Adelaide Hills. Greg and his wife also run XO Wines in their spare time, and both labels have well-awarded Barbera in their portfolios. Rob Mack is the co-owner of Aphelion Wines, a revered and awarded winemaker; despite building a reputation as a Grenache guy, he has a soft spot for Barbera and all wines from Northern Italy. Ashleigh Seymour, winemaker at McLaren Vale’s Paxton, made wine in Italy’s north for over ten years and knows a thing or two about the grape’s possibilities. The panel was rounded out by yours truly, and Wine Selectors’ Tasting Panel Co-Chair Adam Walls.
THE TASTING
As an South Australia-centric challenge, the tasting was dominated with wines from that state, however there was a healthy spread that ranged beyond its regions with high quality representation from New South Wales’ Murrumbateman, Orange, and Central Ranges.
On the top podium for this year’s challenge was Anvers, followed closely by Vine Hill and Barbera newcomer Henschke. Overall, there was a high level of quality from producers with vineyards that have decent vine age, as well as experience in managing the variety’s balance, power, complexity and mouthfeel.
At the top of the tree, there was a high concentration of quality, with 30 per cent of the 27 submissions sitting in the Gold/Silver medal band, and another 30 per cent sitting in Bronze. With a 60 per cent medal strike rate, it’s clear that quality is a passionate hallmark of the Barbera cohort.
With its stylistic possibilities and broad appeal, Barbera is bound to continue to charm and captivate Australians. Thanks to the dedication and passion of Simon and his Barbarians, it’s clear that we see are going to see more around the country - a very good thing.
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THE TOP WINES FROM THE TASTING
ANVERS BLOCK 3A ADELAIDE HILLS BARBERA 2022
RRP $35
The wine of the tasting. Soft, plush and earthy, this cool climate Barbera is a finely poised medley of blueberry and mulberry aromas and f lavours, with fresh acidity and vibrant tannins. All class.
BREMERTON SPECIAL RELEASE BARBERA 2021
RRP $26
Deep red in the glass with forward aromas of dark forest fruits, this lovely wine shows Langhorne Creek is a natural home for Barbera. Palate is ripe and fruity with herbaceous notes and hints of dark chocolate. A savoury and fresh expression.
CAPE JAFFA THE AURA WRATTONBULLY BARBERA 2022
RRP $30
Deep and powerful, balanced and layered, this Wrattonbully Barbera brims with mulberry, plums and blueberries. Medium-bodied with great acid structure, fine tannins and a pleasing herbaceous finish.
CHALK HILL BARBERA 2021
RRP $30
Fragrant aromas of perfumed rose petals, dark cherry and spice. Palate is medium-bodied and front-loaded with bright cherry and currants. A firm acid line and lingering spice notes on the finish makes this an absolute cracker.
DAVID HOOK CENTRAL RANGES BARBERA 2022
RRP $38
David Hook has a long history with this varietal, and it shows here. An attractive nose of Turkish Delight opens onto a palate of currants, cranberry and feathery tannins. Charry oak, concentrated fruit and a fine savoury backbone - one of the day’s favourites.
DAVID HOOK ORANGE BARBERA 2022
RRP $25
From the foothills of Mount Canobolas in Orange comes this delightful companion to Hook’s Central Ranges Barbera. Light crimson with dry cherry and plum aromas, the medium-bodied palate is savoury in nature with firm acidity and fine, soft tannins. Lovely.
FIRST DROP WINES MODERNA ADELAIDE HILLS BARBERA 2022
RRP $30
Displaying complex red and blue fruits on the nose, this fine varietal expression shows fruit characters layered with hints of olive and forest floor, in a bright and vibrant palate with refreshing acidity, fine tannins and a little spice to finish.
HASTWELL & LIGHTFOOT MCLAREN VALE BARBERA ROSÉ 2023
RRP $30
Something a little different here with a crisp, refreshing RosŽ derived from the Barbera grape. Zesty, fruity and bright with a nice sweet/savoury balance and a moreish finish, this delightful little fruits basket is one to watch out for.
HASTWELL & LIGHTFOOT MCLAREN VALE BARBERA 2022
RRP $35
Juicy aromas of dark fruit and raspberry open onto a palate of soft, understated tannins with a natural acidity and spice that gives lengthand drive to a fine finish. A deserving Gold Medal-winner.
HENSCHKE ROESLEIN EDEN VALLEY BARBERA 2022
RRP $38
A podium place for this wine and a great case for how suited the Eden Valley is to Barbera. Beautifully fragrant with wild red, black and blueberry notes. A fresh, lively palate of red and dark fruits is balanced by bright acidity and crisp tannins. Delectable.
HASELGROVE MCLAREN VALE BARBERA 2023
RRP $28
Deep and dense purple in the glass, with fresh berry aromas and a lick of spice. Palate is juicy and bright with cherry and red berry flavours, with subtle blackberry notes and supple tannins driving towards a crisp, satisfying finish.
HOLLICK THE GONDOLIER BARBERA 2022
RRP $30
A true small-batch creation, this Gold Medal-winning wine is plush and fresh with a palate of blackcurrant, boysenberries, anise and spice. Soft and satisfying, with beautiful balance and mouthfeel, this one’s a keeper.
VIGNA BOTTIN BARBERA MCLAREN VALE 2020
RRP $44
Wow. While Barbera may be fickle in the Vale, this wine shows what a sure hand can do with it. Driven by generous spices, cranberries, dark cherries and tobacco notes, the palate is sleek, intense, and refined.
VINE HILL MCLAREN VALE BARBERA 2022
RRP $30
Fresh, crunchy and clean, this wine was another star of the tasting. Stacked full of fresh plum, blueberries and liquorice aromas, the palate is fine, well balanced, smooth and satisfying. A fine regional and varietal expression.
PROTERO ADELAIDE HILLS BARBERA 2020
RRP $38
Well rounded in a medium-bodied style with an intriguing nose. Dark fruits with hints of olives, bay leaf and spice makes this a savoury wine lover’s delight, with gentle, textural tannins and a spicy, peppery finish. An Adelaide Hills winner.
RAVENSWORTH MURRUMBATEMAN BARBERA NEBBIOLO 2022
RRP $30
A well loved wine, with a little Nebbiolo adding an attractive, earthy fragrance to the aromas. Light, fine and earthy, the palate is glossy with zingy acidity adding freshness to the layers of sour cherry.
SCARPANTONI MCLAREN VALE BARBERA 2021
RRP $28
A bouquet of ripe aromas of dark cherry, raspberries and spice carries through to a palate rich in fruit flavour with hints of nutty mocha. Juicy yet taut in structure, this is a bright, vibrant Barbera expression.
SERAFINO BELISSIMO MCLAREN VALE BARBERA 2022
RRP $25
Serafino are past masters of alternative varietals and this Barbera proves it. A vibrant perfume of spiced fruit and lifted earth continues through to a savoury, mid-weight palate that’s fruity and richly textured. A real lip-smacker.
XO WINE CO SINGLE VINEYARD SMALL BATCH BARBERA 2022
RRP $32
Greg Clack’s experience with Barbera in the Adelaide Hills shines here. Packed with juicy red fruits, fresh raspberry and lashings of cherry cola character, balanced by satisfying savoury spice. Elegant and rounded, this is excellent example of southern Adelaide Hills terroir.