2021 Barbera d'Alba, Cascina Fontana, Piedmont, Italy

Barbera d'Alba is a red wine from Piedmont, Italy, made mainly from the Barbera grape. It's known for its vibrant red and black fruit flavours, refreshing acidity, and food-friendly nature. Versatile with Italian cuisine, it is a beloved choice in Piedmont despite being regularly overshadowed by Barolo and Barbaresco wines.

Barbera is planted extensively in Piedmont and south-west Lombardy and accounts for over 50% of the wine produced in the region. The majority is sold simply as Barbera del Piemonte, but the best wines are the DOCs, Barbera d'Alba and Barbera d'Asti. It ripens late (after Dolcetto but before Nebbiolo).

The wines are usually ruby red in colour with notably low levels of tannins. They have a pronounced acidity that can be accentuated by overproduction. Barbera wines range from light, tart mouthwashers through to powerful, intensely flavoured wines that require extended cellaring.