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, nouveaustyled 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 a 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.