At its best, the Barbera grape variety produces wines of fantastic food-friendliness, vibrancy, and complexity for what are generally fair prices. It's produced around the world, from California to Australia, but Barbera reaches its peak of fame and accomplishment in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. To appreciate all that Barbera has to offer — no matter where it's from — study this guide to Barbera wines.

Unlike many of the most well-known wines of Italy, Barbera is the name of a grape variety, not a place. Chianti, for example, is not a grape variety, but rather a place in Tuscany where some of the most well-known Sangiovese-based red wines in the world are produced.