Aldo di Ricaldone and the erroneous attribution of barbesine grapes to ancient Barbera Ricaldone's study¹ deepened the history of Barbera, affirming that this grape variety represented Piedmont and, in particular, Monferrato. The scholar's research covered a broad period, from the Carolingian era to the seventeenth century, revealing the development, cultivation and harvest of grapes in Monferrato. In the premise, Ricaldone wondered where the name «Barbera» came from. According to him, the length and antiquity of the term indicate that the grape variety had been cultivated in these lands for a long time. The author cited as an example one of the best-known interpretations, that of Oliveri, who suggested that the name «Barbera» derived from a medieval Latin «Barbarius», which indicated a shepherd, although, in his opinion, this hypothesis did not take into account the red color of the wine. Ricaldone was also skeptical of other etymological theories, such as the one that linked «Barbera» to the Latin «albuelis», which meant «white». However, he recognized that the connection with the toponym «Barberia» was interesting. ¹. Giuseppe Aldo di Ricaldone, , Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture, 1980 I vini storici di Asti e del Monferrato