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53-587: Century-old vines still exist in many regional vineyards and allow for the production of long-aging , robust red wines with intense fruit and enhanced tannic content. The best-known appellation is the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) Barbera d'Asti in the Piedmont region: the highest-quality Nizza DOCG wines are produced within a sub-zone of the Barbera d'Asti production area. When young,

106-706: A balance to Barbera's acidity, over-ripeness can lead to raisiny flavors. Grape breeder Giovanni Dalmasso at the Instituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano in the Veneto wine region used Barbera as one of the parent vines for many of his crosses. Along with Nebbiolo di Dronero (originally thought to be Nebbiolo but later discovered to be an old French wine grape known as Chatus ), Dalmasso crossed Barbera to produce Albarossa , Cornarea , Nebbiera , San Michele and Soperga . Barbera

159-525: A base that dissolves in water . A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The adjective alkaline , and less often, alkalescent , is commonly used in English as a synonym for basic, especially for bases soluble in water. This broad use of the term is likely to have come about because alkalis were the first bases known to obey the Arrhenius definition of a base, and they are still among

212-539: A better balance between acid and fruit, often with the addition of oak and having a high alcohol content are more capable of cellaring; these wines often result from reduced-yield viticultural methods. Barbera is believed to have originated in the hills of Monferrato in central Piemonte , Italy, where it has been known since the thirteenth century. Documents from the cathedral of Casale Monferrato between 1246 and 1277 detail leasing agreements of vineyard lands planted with "de bonis vitibus barbexinis" or Barbera, as it

265-661: A commercially important example of a bine. The direction of rotation of the shoot tip during climbing is autonomous and does not (as sometimes imagined) derive from the shoot's following the sun around the sky – the direction of twist does not therefore depend upon which side of the equator the plant is growing on. This is shown by the fact that some bines always twine clockwise, including runner bean ( Phaseolus coccineus ) and bindweed ( Convolvulus species), while others twine anticlockwise, including black bryony ( Dioscorea communis ) and climbing honeysuckles ( Lonicera species). The contrasting rotations of bindweed and honeysuckle

318-644: A component in mass vino da tavola blends. In the Lombardy region, it is seen as a varietal in Oltrepò Pavese with wines that range from slightly spritzy to semi-sparkling frizzante . Elsewhere in Lombardy, it is blended with Croatina and as part of a larger blend component in the red wines of Franciacorta . Southeast of Piedmont, Barbera is found in Emilia-Romagna in the hills between Piacenza , Bologna , and Parma . As in Lombardy, Barbera

371-415: A few grow as vines only part of the time. For instance, poison ivy and bittersweet can grow as low shrubs when support is not available, but will become vines when support is available. A vine displays a growth form based on very long stems. This has two purposes. A vine may use rock exposures, other plants, or other supports for growth rather than investing energy in a lot of supportive tissue, enabling

424-549: A softer and potentially more balanced wine as a result. In the 1970s, the French enologist Emile Peynaud recommended that Barbera producers use small oak barrels for fermentation and maturation in order to add subtle oak spice flavors and limited levels of oxygenation to soften the wine. The added oxygen would also limit the reductive quality of Barbera and the occurrence of off-odors of hydrogen sulfide that would occur in some examples. The polysaccharides picked up from

477-521: A touch stimulus, vanadate -sensitive K , Mg ATPase and Ca -translocating ATPases rapidly increase their activity. This increases transmembrane ion fluxes that appear to be involved in the early stages of tendril coiling. Alkaline In chemistry , an alkali ( / ˈ æ l k ə l aɪ / ; from the Arabic word al-qāly , القلوي ) is a basic , ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal . An alkali can also be defined as

530-428: A tree trunk, which it can then climb to brighter regions. The vine growth form may also enable plants to colonize large areas quickly, even without climbing high. This is the case with periwinkle and ground ivy . It is also an adaptation to life in areas where small patches of fertile soil are adjacent to exposed areas with more sunlight but little or no soil. A vine can root in the soil but have most of its leaves in

583-679: A valued plant in warm climate regions where acidification is usually needed. The color of Barbera makes it a value blending grape and it was historically used in the Barolo & Barberesco region to add color to the natural light Nebbiolo grape. The use of oak for fermentation or maturation can have a pronounced influence on the flavor and profile of Barbera. Barrel-influenced Barberas tend to be rounder and richer, with more plum and spice notes. Wines made with older or more-neutral oak tend to retain more vibrant aromas and cherry notes. While some producers delay harvest in order to increase sugar levels as

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636-479: A wide range of vineyard soils but tends to thrive most in less fertile calcareous soils and clay loam . Sandy soils can help limit the vigor and yields. The grape rarely thrives in very alkaline or saline soils . Like many grape varieties with a long history, the Barbera vine has seen mutation and clonal variation arise with different clones of the variety found in Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and

689-593: Is a woody shrub-vine which climbs without clinging roots, tendrils, or thorns. It directs its stem into a crevice in the bark of fibrous barked trees (such as bald cypress ) where the stem adopts a flattened profile and grows up the tree underneath the host tree's outer bark. The fetterbush then sends out branches that emerge near the top of the tree. Most vines are flowering plants. These may be divided into woody vines or lianas , such as akebia wisteria , kiwifruit , and common ivy , and herbaceous (nonwoody) vines, such as morning glory . One odd group of vining plants

742-533: Is also a parent variety behind Ervi (crossed with Croatina ), Incrocio Terezi I (with Cabernet franc ), Nigra (with Merlot ) and Prodest (also with Merlot). Despite similarities in names, Barbera has no close genetic relationship with the Campanian wine grape Barbera del Sannio or the Sardinian wine grape Barbera Sarda . Also, DNA analysis has shown that the white Piedmont variety Barbera bianca

795-498: Is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word vine can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work. In parts of the world, including the British Isles, the term "vine" usually applies exclusively to grapevines, while the term "climber" is used for all climbing plants. Certain plants always grow as vines, while

848-515: Is mediated by changes in turgor pressure mediated by volume changes in the epidermal cells of the bending zone. Climbing vines can take on many unique characteristics in response to changes in their environments. Climbing vines can induce chemical defenses and modify their biomass allocation in response to herbivores. In particular, the twisting vine Convolvulus arvensis increases its twining in response to herbivore-associated leaf damage, which may lead to reduced future herbivory. Additionally,

901-607: Is not a color mutation of Barbera but rather its own distinct variety. Barbera is known under a variety of local synonyms throughout Italy and worldwide. These include Barber a Raspo, Barbera a Peduncolo, Barbera Amaro, Barbera Crna, Barbera Forte, Barbera Mercantile, Barbera Nera, Barbera Nostrana, Barbera Riccia, Barbera Rissa, Barbera Rosa, Barbera Vera, Barberone, Barbexinis, Besgano, Cosses Barbusen, Gaietto, Lombardesca, Perricone, Pignatello and Ughetta. Vine A vine (from Latin vīnea  ' grapevine , vineyard '; from vīnum  'wine')

954-561: Is often softened by blending with the lighter Croatina as it is in the Val Tidone region for the DOC wine of Gutturnio . In Sardinia , the grape is used around Cagliari in the wine known as Barbera Sarda, and in Sicily , the grape is used in various blends under the names Perricone or Pignatello made near Agrigento . Barbera was an important grape in re-establishing the wine industry of

1007-822: Is optimized by the installation of trellis netting. Gardeners can use the tendency of climbing plants to grow quickly. If a plant display is wanted quickly, a climber can achieve this. Climbers can be trained over walls, pergolas, fences, etc. Climbers can be grown over other plants to provide additional attraction. Artificial support can also be provided. Some climbers climb by themselves; others need work, such as tying them in and training them. Vines widely differ in size, form and evolutionary origin. Darwin classified climbing groups based on their climbing method. He classified five classes of vines – twining plants, leaf climbers, tendril bearers, root climbers and hook climbers. Vines are unique in that they have multiple evolutionary origins. They usually reside in tropical locations and have

1060-470: Is proving successful, as well as plantings in central and southern Arizona. As with many grapes that are widely planted, there is a wide range of quality and variety of Barbera wines from medium bodied , fruity wines to more powerful, intense examples that need cellaring. Some characteristics of the variety are more consistent—namely its deep ruby color, pink rim, pronounced acidity, and normally rather modest levels of tannins. The acidity of Barbera makes it

1113-444: Is rarely exported. Nizza (also Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza before 2014) is a DOCG designation whose zone of production is limited to the comuni (municipalities) of Agliano Terme, Belveglio, Bruno, Calamandrana, Castel Boglione, Castelnuovo Belbo, Castelnuovo Calcea, Castel Rocchero, Cortiglione, Incisa Scapaccino, Moasca, Mombaruzzo, Mombercelli, Nizza Monferrato, Rocchetta Palafea, San Marzano Oliveto, Vaglio Serra and Vinchio within

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1166-934: Is rarely found in Europe except for small plantings in Greece , Romania , and the coastal region of Primorska in Slovenia . The influence of Italian immigrants has led to a scattering of Barbera plantings in South America, notably in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay . In Argentina, it is widely grown with 1,061 hectares (2,620 acres) planted as of 2010, mostly in the Mendoza and San Juan provinces , and used mostly for blending. There are some small plantings in Israel . Barbera came to Australia with cuttings imported from

1219-534: Is the fern genus Lygodium , called climbing ferns . The stem does not climb, but rather the fronds (leaves) do. The fronds unroll from the tip, and theoretically never stop growing; they can form thickets as they unroll over other plants, rockfaces, and fences. A twining vine, also known as a bine , is one that climbs by its shoots growing in a helix , in contrast to vines that climb using tendrils or suckers. Many bines have rough stems or downward-pointing bristles to aid their grip. Hops (used in flavoring beer) are

1272-538: Is very vigorous and capable of producing high yields if not kept in check by pruning and other methods. Excessive yields can diminish the fruit quality in the grape and accentuate Barbera's natural acidity and sharpness. In Piedmont, the vine was prized for its yields and ability to ripen two weeks earlier than Nebbiolo even on vineyard sites with less than ideal exposure. This allowed the Piedmontese winemakers in regions like Alba to give their best sites over to

1325-521: The Apulia and Campania regions following World War II due to its high yields and easy adaption to mechanical harvesting . Today it is a permitted variety to be blended with Aglianico in the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine of Taurasi though it is rarely used. Although Barbera plantings of over 12,500 hectares (31,000 acres) existed as of 2010 outside Italy, it

1378-576: The Mezzogiorno . The different clones can be identified by the size and shape of their grape clusters with the smaller cluster clones producing the highest quality wine. In recent years, viticulturists have been working with clonal selection to increase Barbera's resistance to the leafroll virus . Winemakers working with Barbera have a variety of ways to deal with the grape's high acidity and moderate astringency. The most common has been through blending with varieties lacking those components and creating

1431-515: The New World , where its acidity is valued in blended wines for the 'freshness' it imparts. Barbera is found in the northwestern part of Italy, particularly in Monferrato, and to a lesser extent further south. Nearly half of all grapevine plantings in Piedmont are Barbera. It likes the same conditions as Nebbiolo, but the latter is more profitable, fetching nearly twice the price, so is grown on

1484-931: The University of California, Davis in the 1960s, and as of 2010 accounted for 103 hectares (250 acres) of planting land. It has been grown for about 25 years in the Mudgee region of New South Wales , with later plantings in a number of wine regions, including the King Valley in Victoria as well as the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions in South Australia . John Gladstones, in his book Viticulture and Environment , includes Barbera in maturity group 5, which means that it will ripen at about

1537-532: The Alba region many of the best vineyard sites are dedicated to Nebbiolo with Barbera relegated to a secondary location, which limits the quality and quantities of the wines labeled with the Barbera d'Alba DOC. In the Monferrato DOC, Barbera is blended with up to 15% Freisa , Grignolino and Dolcetto and can be slightly sparkling. Since 2000, it has been possible to produce Barbera d'Asti Superiore, for which

1590-482: The Piedmont region was rocked by a scandal involving Barbera producers illegally adding methanol to their wines, killing over 30 people and causing many more to lose their sight. The bad press and publicity saw a steady decline in Barbera sales and plantings, allowing the grape to be eclipsed by the Montepulciano grape as Italy's second most widely planted red grape variety in the late 1990s. The Barbera vine

1643-575: The Piedmont region, Barbera is widely grown in the Alba Langhe region and the Asti and Monferrato regions. While there is no officially defined Classico region, like Chianti Classico , the region of the Asti province between the towns of Nizza Monferrato , Vinchio , Castelnuovo Calcea , Agliano , Belveglio and Rocchetta is considered among locals to be the "heart" of Barbera in Piedmont. In 2001,

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1696-692: The United States, there are 4,693 hectares (11,600 acres) of plantings mostly in California, where Barbera is one of the most successful of the Piemontese grapes to be adopted in the state. It is widely planted in the Central Valley , where it is a blend component in mass-produced jug wines . In recent years, the fashion of Italian grapes has caused more California winemakers to look into producing high-quality varietal Barbera. Plantings in

1749-468: The best sites. The earlier-ripening Barbera is grown on the cooler lower slopes below the Nebbiolo, and other secondary locations. This explains why relatively little Barbera is grown around Alba , where the wines are entitled to the appellation Barbera d'Alba. Thus the best-known Barbera is the DOCG of Barbera d'Asti . The Barbera del Monferrato DOC – which tends to be somewhat sparkling (frizzante) –

1802-406: The brighter, exposed area, getting the best of both environments. The evolution of a climbing habit has been implicated as a key innovation associated with the evolutionary success and diversification of a number of taxonomic groups of plants. It has evolved independently in several plant families, using many different climbing methods, such as: The climbing fetterbush ( Pieris phillyreifolia )

1855-533: The context of chemistry and chemical engineering . There are various, more specific definitions for the concept of an alkali. Alkalis are usually defined as a subset of the bases. One of two subsets is commonly chosen. The second subset of bases is also called an " Arrhenius base ". Alkali salts are soluble hydroxides of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals , of which common examples are: Soils with pH values that are higher than 7.3 are usually defined as being alkaline. These soils can occur naturally due to

1908-550: The cooler regions of Napa and Sonoma have produced some successful examples. In Washington State , producers have been experimenting with plantings of Barbera in the Red Mountain , Walla Walla , and Columbia Valley AVAs . So far these very young vines have produced fruity wines with strawberry notes and limited complexity and aging potential. In addition to Washington, in the Umpqua AVA of Oregon plantings of Barbara

1961-517: The idea that photosynthetic responses are closely related to climbing mechanisms. Temperate twining vines, which twist tightly around supports, are typically poorly adapted for climbing beneath closed canopies due to their smaller support diameter and shade intolerance. In contrast, tendril vines usually grow on the forest floor and onto trees until they reach the surface of the canopy, suggesting that they have greater physiological plasticity. It has also been suggested that twining vines' revolving growth

2014-528: The more difficult-to-cultivate Nebbiolo and still produce quality wine with Barbera that could be consumed earlier while the Nebbiolo ages . Harvest for Barbera usually takes place in late September-early October, usually two weeks after Dolcetto has been picked. In recent times, winemakers have been experimenting with harvesting Barbera later at higher sugar levels to produce heavier, more fruit-forward wines. In some vintages , these producers may even harvest their Barbera after Nebbiolo. Barbera can adapt to

2067-481: The most common bases. The word alkali is derived from Arabic al qalīy (or alkali ), meaning ' the calcined ashes ' (see calcination ), referring to the original source of alkaline substances. A water-extract of burned plant ashes, called potash and composed mostly of potassium carbonate , was mildly basic. After heating this substance with calcium hydroxide ( slaked lime ), a far more strongly basic substance known as caustic potash ( potassium hydroxide )

2120-413: The oak, was found to increase the richness of Barbera. At the time, his recommendation met some resistance from the tradition-minded Barbera producers, but the success of the " Super Tuscans " which introduced new oak barrel treatment to Sangiovese caused many producers to reconsider. In addition to the subtle oxygenation and spice notes, oak imparts to the wine ligneous wood tannins which give structure to

2173-399: The plant to reach sunlight with a minimum investment of energy. This has been a highly successful growth form for plants such as kudzu and Japanese honeysuckle , both of which are invasive exotics in parts of North America. There are some tropical vines that develop skototropism, and grow away from the light, a type of negative phototropism . Growth away from light allows the vine to reach

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2226-452: The province of Asti. As of 2010, there were 20,524 hectares (50,720 acres) of Barbera planted, making it the sixth most widely planted red grape variety in Italy. At its highpoint in the late 20th century, there were over 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres) planted but the fallout from the "Methanol scandal" of the 1980s and the lack of a driving worldwide market caused those numbers to decline. In

2279-552: The same time as Shiraz and Merlot , and that it should theoretically find a successful home in many Australian wine regions. Australian wine producers have found some success with Barbera in Victoria. Mount Broke Wines of Broke, is one of the few in New South Wales, Australia. South African producers have begun widespread plantings of the grape in the warm climate regions of Malmesbury , Wellington and Paarl . In

2332-506: The tendrils are highly sensitive to touch and the coiling action is mediated by the hormones octadecanoids, jasmonates and indole-3-acetic acid . The touch stimulus and hormones may interact via volatile compounds or internal oscillation patterns. Research has found the presence of ion translocating ATPases in the Bryonia dioica species of plants, which has implications for a possible ion mediation tendril curling mechanism. In response to

2385-404: The tendrils of perennial vine Cayratia japonica are more likely to coil around nearby plants of another species than nearby plants of the same species in natural and experimental settings. This ability, which has only been previously documented in roots, demonstrates the vine's ability to distinguish whether another plant is of the same species as itself or a different one. In tendrilled vines,

2438-406: The town of Nizza was officially recognized as a sub-region within the greater Barbera d'Asti DOC. Being one of the warmest areas in Asti, Nizza has the potential to produce the ripest Barbera with sugar levels to match some of the grape's high acidity. The wines of Barbera d'Asti tend to be bright in color and elegant while Barbera d'Alba tends to have a deep color with more intense, powerful fruit. In

2491-431: The unique ability to climb. Vines are able to grow in both deep shade and full sun due to their uniquely wide range of phenotypic plasticity . This climbing action prevents shading by neighbors and allows the vine to grow out of reach of herbivores. The environment where a vine can grow successfully is determined by the climbing mechanism of a vine and how far it can spread across supports. There are many theories supporting

2544-412: The wine must have an alcoholic strength of at least 12.5% by volume, and be aged for at least 14 months, 6 months of which stored in oak or chestnut barrels. Many superior producers refine it in small oak barriques to obtain a rounder taste. The superior has the following sub-zones indicated on the label: Nizza, Tinella, or Colli Astiani (Asti). Outside Piedmont, Barbera is found throughout Italy, often as

2597-448: The wine without adding as much astringent bite as the tannins derived from the phenolic compounds of the grape. This, coupled with reduced maceration time, contributed to the production of softer wines. Lower yields and harvesting riper grapes with more fruit and sugar have been found to be a better balance for Barbera's high acidity. Northwest Italy is the viticultural home for Barbera, but Italian immigrants spread it through much of

2650-537: The wines offer a very intense aroma of fresh red cherries and blackberries . In the lightest versions notes of cherries , raspberries and blueberries and with notes of blackberry and black cherries in wines made of more ripe grapes. Many producers employ the use of toasted oak barrels , which provides for increased complexity, aging potential, and hints of vanilla notes. The lightest versions are generally known for flavors and aromas of fresh fruit and dried fruits , and are not recommended for cellaring. Wines with

2703-643: Was known then. However, one ampelographer , Pierre Viala, speculates that Barbera originated in the Lombardy region of Oltrepò Pavese . In the 19th and 20th centuries, waves of Italian immigrants brought Barbera to the Americas where the vine took root in California and Argentina among other places. Recent DNA evidence suggest that Barbera may be related to the French - Spanish vine Mourvedre . In 1985,

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2756-752: Was produced. Caustic potash was traditionally used in conjunction with animal fats to produce soft soaps , one of the caustic processes that rendered soaps from fats in the process of saponification , one known since antiquity. Plant potash lent the name to the element potassium , which was first derived from caustic potash, and also gave potassium its chemical symbol K (from the German name Kalium ), which ultimately derived from al k ali. Alkalis are all Arrhenius bases , ones which form hydroxide ions (OH ) when dissolved in water. Common properties of alkaline aqueous solutions include: The terms "base" and "alkali" are often used interchangeably, particularly outside

2809-461: Was the theme of the satirical song "Misalliance", written and sung by Michael Flanders and Donald Swann (but the lyrics confuse the direction of twining, describing honeysuckle as right-handed and bindweed as left-handed). The term "vine" also applies to Cucurbitaceae like cucumbers where botanists refer to creeping vines; in commercial agriculture the natural tendency of coiling tendrils to attach themselves to pre-existing structures or espaliers

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