2024 Billy Button ‘The Affable’ Barbera

Jo has always liked the juicy vibrant style of Barbera from the Piedmont region in Northern Italy.  So, in 2014 when Tony Ferraro asked, “would you like to take a look at my Barbera?” Jo jumped at the chance.  Since then, Barbera has become one of the most popular wines in the Billy Button line-up.

Say 'bah-beh-rah'

Production Notes

The fruit was machine harvested, crushed and destemmed to a combination of static open fermenters and smaller tubs for fermentation with selected and indigenous yeast across the different batches.  The ferments were pressed after reaching sugar dryness to Flexcubes, where they matured for 12 months prior to blending, crossflow filtration and bottling in July 2025.

Tasting Notes  

There is a lovely density to this wine.  Supple aromas, a bright redskin character is front and centre with layers of red and blue fruits. Fresh herbal nuances provide a savoury undercurrent. The palate is refreshing, with plush fruit and balanced acidy that gives the wine a playful and moreish quality.  Bright, vibrant and mouthwatering.

Optimal Drinking Window – now to 2035. Experience the wine young, bright and juicy or pop it down for a couple of years for it to soften slightly and develop more of the savoury herbal nuances.

Technical Details

Reviews

"One of the pioneering Italian grapes in Australia, barbera works under many guises. Here, we see it ripe, medium bodied, sweet-berried, fruit forward, but there's more. There is a savoury edginess that brings another layer, another level of flavour interest. Redcurrant, red plum, red cherry run together with dried herbs, earth, red licorice and fennel seed. It moves briskly on fresh acidity and firm tannins, finishing on a sour cherry long note. Clean as a whistle." Awarded 94 points, Halliday Wine Companion, Jeni Port - Published 10 February 2026