The map of the Barbaresco MGAs
This map shows, over satellite imagery, all 66 Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGAs, “additional geographical mentions”) of Barbaresco: the “crus” recognised by the production rules in 2007, covering 3,110 hectares across 4 communes.
An MGA states on the label where the grapes come from, for example Barbaresco Asili or Barbaresco Rabajà . Barbaresco was the first Italian appellation to adopt a system of geographical mentions, three years before Barolo.
MGAs are not a quality ranking: no mention is “superior” to another, unlike the Grand Crus and Premiers Crus of Burgundy. That is why the map does not colour them by rank but by commune, with a different colour for each MGA, by elevation or by sun.
How to read it
Commune : each MGA takes the colour of the commune where most of it lies. In the legend, a click hides or shows a commune; Alt-click isolates it.MGA : each MGA gets a colour different from its neighbours, so its shape and size stand out at once.Elevation : elevation point by point, from the blue of the valley floors to the red of the ridges. As with the sun, the colours ignore the MGA boundaries, which remain only as outlines, so you can see differences in height within a single MGA. Hover to read the elevation at that spot.Sun : potential solar radiation between April and October, point by point on a grid of about 14 metres, from the blue of the coolest slopes to the red of the sunniest. The colours ignore the boundaries, revealing differences within the same MGA. Hover to read the value at that spot.
Each MGA card also shows the aspect and slope of its hillsides, with a full aspect rose, the sun and the land use.
Clicking a point on the map gives the exact elevation, aspect and sun at that spot and, from the Regione Piemonte services, the cadastral sheet and parcel, the declared crop and the appellations the vineyard is registered for. The Cadastre button shows the land registry parcels inside the MGAs, with sheet, number, area and declared crop; each MGA card includes its cadastral subdivision. The 3D button tilts the map over the relief.
The largest MGAs Canova 162 ha , Meruzzano 159 ha , Bricco di Neive 157 ha , Serracapelli 144 ha , Balluri 116 ha , Rivetti 103 ha , Bric Micca 103 ha , Starderi 98 ha .
The highest and the lowest Highest: San Stunet 384 m , Meruzzano 383 m , Giacosa 368 m , Bricco di Treiso 353 m , Bernadot 346 m . Lowest: Vicenziana 188 m , Pora 192 m , Albesani 195 m .
How much is really vineyard The MGA boundaries do not contain only vines. According to the 2025 farm register of Regione Piemonte, in the 66 Barbaresco MGAs vineyard parcels cover 1,824 hectares out of 3,110 (59%), hazelnut parcels 329 hectares. Parcels eligible for Barbaresco DOCG total 1,096 hectares.
Most planted to vines Ronchi 92% , Montefico 91% , Rabajà 91% , Montestefano 91% , Cars 90% , Faset 90% , Asili 87% , Castellizzano 87% , Roncagliette 85% , Roncaglie 84% .
Least planted to vines Balluri 22% , Serragrilli 31% , Bernadot 34% , Fausoni 41% , Ca' Grossa 41% , Bric Micca 42% .
Most hazelnut Balluri 53 ha , Albesani 25 ha , Serracapelli 23 ha , Ca' Grossa 21 ha , Starderi 18 ha , Rivetti 18 ha .
The sun Potential solar radiation measures the energy reaching the slopes between April and October under clear skies, taking into account slope, aspect and the shadows of the surrounding hills. It compares MGAs more precisely than aspect alone.
The sunniest Nervo 1,525 kWh/m² , Basarin 1,498 kWh/m² , Martinenga 1,498 kWh/m² , Pora 1,493 kWh/m² , Montestefano 1,480 kWh/m² , Asili 1,478 kWh/m² , Montaribaldi 1,478 kWh/m² , Montefico 1,478 kWh/m² .
The coolest Castellizzano 1,314 kWh/m² , Cars 1,319 kWh/m² , Ausario 1,319 kWh/m² , Vicenziana 1,334 kWh/m² , Ca' Grossa 1,350 kWh/m² , Cottà 1,360 kWh/m² .
Single vineyards inside the MGAs Besides the MGA, a label may name a single vineyard with the word «Vigna», for example Barbaresco Gallina Vigna 'l Ciaciaret . Regione Piemonte keeps the official register of these mentions with their cadastral references: the 24 Barbaresco vineyards in the 2025 register are drawn inside the MGAs with a dashed outline. Click one to open its card with area, elevation, aspect, sun and cadastral parcels; each MGA card lists the vineyards registered within it.
Sources and accuracy
The MGA boundaries were digitised from the official Barbaresco map of the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, drawn by Alessandro Masnaghetti, and georeferenced on the buildings of the base map: the average offset is a few metres, but along the boundaries it can reach about ten. Areas, elevations and aspects are computed on these polygons and are indicative. For labelling, the production rules (disciplinare) and the vineyard register are authoritative.
AGEA 2024 orthophotos from Regione Piemonte and Esri World Imagery. Terrain from Mapzen Terrarium. Cadastre, 2022 and 2025 agricultural land use, 2025 appellation eligibility and the 2025 register of «Vigna» mentions from the Regione Piemonte Geoportal (CC BY 4.0). Land registry parcels © Agenzia delle Entrate (INSPIRE WFS service, CC BY 4.0). Solar radiation computed on the terrain model. Commune boundaries © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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Other maps: the MGAs of Barolo · the climats of the Côte d’Or .
Rights
© 2026 Valerio Barbato. The code, design, texts and data processing of this map are the author’s work and are protected by copyright (Italian law 633/1941). Reproduction, even partial, without written permission is prohibited. The source data remain available under the terms of their respective licences listed above.