MUNICIPALITIES
The territory of origin of Barbaresco is made up of just four municipalities: Alba (only for the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio on the right side of the stream), Barbaresco , Neive and Treiso for the entire municipal territory. There are also altitude and exposure limits that still limit the suitable areas. It is forbidden to plant it in the north, as well as in the valley bottoms in flat terrain. The 763.19 hectares that make up the production area are divided as follows: 249.19 hectares in Barbaresco, 280.62 hectares in Neive, 46.49 hectares in San Rocco Seno d'Elvio and 186.89 hectares in Treiso.
GEOLOGY
From a geological point of view, the Barbaresco area does not differ substantially from the Barolo area. The entire Barbaresco area is of Miocene origin (that is, it belongs to the Tertiary or Cenozoic Era) and of marine formation, with the exception of the alluvial areas of Holocene origin (Quaternary or Neozoic Era). The soil is mainly made up of calcareous marl, sedimentary deposits that rose to the surface with the gradual lifting of the bottom of the primordial sea that covered the Po basin.
Although homogeneous, the Barbaresco area can be differentiated into two parts based on the prevailing types of soil.
The lands of Treiso, San Rocco Seno d'Elvio and Neive, south of the town centre, belong to the “Lequio Formations” (Tortoniano-Serravalliano), characterized by layers of compact gray marl, alternating with layers of sand.
The lands of Barbaresco and the part of Neive which is adjacent to Barbaresco belong to the “Sant'Agata Fossili Marls” (Tortoniano), characterized by bluish calcareous marl.