Fair Play Barbera
Barbera is an old-soul varietal — the grape that built northern Italy's table wine tradition before Nebbiolo got famous. In the Sierra foothills, the stones and the heat give it something the Italians don't have.
At Apetahi, Barbera is one of my favorite blocks to walk. The vines are vigorous, the fruit ripens with honest acidity, and the skins give the kind of color and savory edge you want from a wine that can sit next to a tomato-heavy meal without flinching.
Our vineyard sits on sandy loam soil over decomposed granite at 2,200 feet. 100°F summer days collapse into nights in the 40s — the diurnal swing that pushes the acid structure Barbera needs. No herbicides, no pesticides. What you put into the earth, it gives back.
The cellar work is old-world: cold soak, extended maceration, varietal-specific yeast, and time. We press long, bottle after extended aging in neutral oak, and release when the wine is ready — not when the calendar says it should be.
Two tiers are available. The standard Barbera is approachable now and shows the site clearly. The Barbera Reserve is pulled from our best blocks and lots, aged longer, and built for the cellar.
Currently available
Dark plum, dried herbs, savory edge. Approachable now.
Drinking well through 2028.
Available at the tasting room. Plan your visit →
Inkier, more structured, longer aging in neutral oak.
Built for the cellar — 10–12 years.
Buy or learn moreWhat to pour it with
- Tomato-based pasta — especially short rib ragù
- Grilled steak or lamb chops
- Aged Italian cheeses (Pecorino, aged Parmesan)
- Wood-fired pizza with cured meats
- Mushroom risotto
Taste it at the tasting room
Polynesian Girl Winery, 6020 Grizzly Flat Rd, Somerset CA. Open Friday 1–5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 11–5 PM.
Plan your visitFrequently asked
- Where is Polynesian Girl Winery's Barbera grown?
- At Apetahi, our estate in the Fair Play AVA of El Dorado County, California. The vineyard sits at roughly 2,200 feet on sandy loam soil over decomposed granite.
- Is your Barbera estate-grown?
- Yes. Every bottle starts from vines Tatiana prunes by hand — no outside fruit, no custom-crush shortcut.
- What vintages are currently available?
- The 2018 Barbera (standard bottling) and the 2017 Barbera Reserve. Both can be tasted at our Somerset tasting room or purchased at polynesiangirlwine.com.
- How long will your Barberas age?
- Well-structured Barberas from our site age 8–12 years gracefully. The Reserve bottling is built specifically for the cellar.
- Where can I taste the Barbera in person?
- At the Polynesian Girl Tasting Room: 6020 Grizzly Flat Rd, Somerset CA. Open Friday 1–5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 11–5 PM. No appointment needed for groups under six.
- How is the Barbera farmed?
- Clean farming — no herbicides, no pesticides. The vines are hand-pruned and the grapes are hand-picked by the winemaker's family every fall.