Barbera is the second red grape of Piemonte (after Nebbiolo). If you are buying off the shelf to drink sooner rather than later, I actually prefer Barbera. Nebbiolo needs time, but Barbera is ready to go. It’s a great food wine because it has such a great acid structure and its tannins are usually well-integrated. On a label, you’ll find 3 kinds of Barbera- just this name or d’Asti or d’Alba. The d’Asti is considered the highest quality since the best vineyards in this region are devoted to Barbera and in Alba the best vineyards go to Nebbiolo. I find that the Astis are more elegant, but that distinction is debatable.