Barbaresco wine is named after the town of Barbaresco. Made only in approved areas in the region of Piedmont and only in approved vineyard sites that must be on hillsides.

Barbaresco is always 100% Nebbiolo grape.

Barbaresco is only produced in specific areas of the Region Piedmont: Langhe, in the communes of Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive plus that area of the frazione San Rocco Senodelvio

Barbaresco was given DOCG, Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status in 1980. DOCG is the highest level of the quality Pyramid.

Barbaresco wines must be aged for a minimum of 2 years (at least 1 year in oak) prior to release and aged for at least 4 years to be considered a riserva. Well-made examples of Barbaresco wines are expected to be aged at least 5 to 10 years and longer.

Barbaresco is known for its elegance, some continue to drink well even after 20 years. The typical style of a Barbaresco has bouquets of roses or violets with flavor notes of cherry, truffles, fennel and licorice. As the wine ages, it can develop smoky notes and more earthy and flavors like licorice and tar.

Barbaresco has differences with Barolo Despite being made from the same grape and produced in neighboring areas less than 10 miles from each other. The wines of Barbaresco and Barolo do have some distinct differences. Located south of the river Tanaro, the Barbaresco zone receives a slight maritime influence which allows Nebbiolo to ripen here a little earlier than it does in the Barolo zone. This allows the grape to get to fermentation earlier with a shorter maceration time. The early tannins in a young Barbaresco are not quite as harsh as Barolo. The most pronounced difference between the two wines is that the tannins of Barbaresco tend to soften quicker, which can make the wines more approachable to drink at an earlier age.

The smaller vineyard areas mean that annual production of Barbaresco is around 35% the production of Barolo.