Braida Bricco dell'Uccellone Barbera d'Asti 2020
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Very intense ruby ??red color with garnet reflections. Rich, complex aroma, of notable concentration and depth; in particular, hints of red fruit and small fruits are highlighted, with some minty spices, vanilla and licorice in the background. Generous flavor, full-bodied and notable structure, perfect amalgamation of the characteristics of the vine and the contribution of the wood, in a combination of great softness and great class, very long aromatic persistence.
Accompanies large meat dishes, roasts, even with sauces, and mature cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This historic Barbera opens with blackberry compote, spiced black plums, cedar and sweet spices. The opulent palate shows notes of macerated cherry, anise, clove and cocoa, with polished and elegant tannins. The wine ends with vibrant acidity that keeps this big, bold and beautiful wine fresh with each glass. Drink 2025–2035.
Editors' Choice -
Wine Spectator
A smooth red, saturated with plum, blueberry, loam and toasty oak flavors. Reveals assertive tannins on the finish, yet this has ample fruit and the lingering finish shows its future potential. Drink now through 2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the bottles that made the history of Italian wine, the Braida 2020 Barbera d'Asti Bricco dell'Uccellone shows a dark and savory side with ripe cherry, baked plum, spice, tarry smoke and campfire ember. With time, those aromas soften and reorganize to resemble espresso bean or baking chocolate. There is a lot of concentration and fruit weight here, and you need that texture to offset the very high 16.5% alcohol content.
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James Suckling
Notes of crushed dark berries, chocolate, cured meat and dark earth. Medium- to full-bodied, juicy and fresh with tension and energy to the dark fruit. Vivid acidity. Chalky and intense finish. Very attractive. Drink or hold.
Other Vintages
2018-
Robert
Parker
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
The winery's story begins with the nickname "Braida", a name acquired by Giuseppe Bologna who played "fistball", a traditional Piedmont sport, on town and church squares. Giuseppe "Braida" Bologna, a wheelwright by profession, owned a large Barbera vineyard in Rocchetta Tanaro and produced wine for his own and the friend’s consumption. His son Giacomo inherited the vineyard as well as the nickname, which he gave to the winery. Thanks to Giacomo Bologna’s incredible personality and his love for the land, wine and life, he finally achieved his goal of producing superb Barbera at Rocchetta Tanaro. The Barbera grape which was traditionally vinified into a simple acidic wine was thereby lifted to a wine of world-class.
In recent years, "Braida" has expanded and grown, still faithful to the philosophy of Giacomo and Anna Bologna and to their way of understanding life, land, wine and friendships. In 1990, after Giacomo’s premature death, Anna and her children Raffaella and Giuseppe (nicknamed Beppe) carried on and concluded the projects he had initiated. Since the early year 2010 the winery is run by Raffaella and Giuseppe Bologna, representing the third generation of winemakers on the "Braida" winery. Raffaella is responsible for sales and marketing, while Beppe is in charge of the wine making and managing the agricultural part. Wine is their life. They enthusiastically champion wine, its culture and the land on which it grows. This love has also conquered their partners who have become active members of the family: Cristina, Beppe's wife and mother of Greta and Giacomo, works in administration, while Raffaella’s husband, Norbert Reinisch-Bologna, an Austrian doctor, is Braida's export director. Decisions about important projects and investments are always taken jointly, endeavouring to produce high quality wine and supported by a motivated team that tackles daily tasks with energy and enthusiasm.
Friendly and approachable, Barbera produces wines in a wide range of styles, from youthful, fresh and fruity to serious, structured and age-worthy. Piedmont is the most famous source of Barbera; those from Asti and Alba garner the most praise. Barbera actually can adapt to many climates and enjoys success in some New World regions. Somm Secret—In the past it wasn’t common or even accepted to age Barbera in oak but today both styles—oaked and unoaked—abound and in fact most Piedmontese producers today produce both styles.
Recognized as the source of the best Barbera in all of Italy, Asti is a province (as well as major city) in Piedmont, consisting of a gentle, rolling landscape with vineyards, farmland and forests alternating throughout.
Barbera d’Asti can be made in an array of styles from relatively straightforward, fruity and ready for consumption early, to the more concentrated, oak aged version with an ability to cellar impressively for 10-15 years and beyond. Some of the very best sites for Barbera in Asti are concentrated in the subzone of Nizza Monferrato. Other red varieties grown here include Freisa, Grignolino and Dolcetto, which can be bottled varietally or blended into Barbera.
Historically consumers commonly associated the Asti region with Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, both playful, aromatic, sparkling wines made from the Muscat grape. Asti Spumante is less sweet, fully fizzy and more alcoholic (yet still clocking in at only around 9% alcohol) while Moscato d’Asti is sweeter, gently sparkling (“frizzante”) and closer to 5 or 6% alcohol. Each is produced in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh and fruity flavors of the grape, often including peach, apricot, lychee and rose petal. Asti is also the spot for the pink-hued Brachetto d'Acqui, a slightly sparkling wine ready to charm with its raspberry and rose flavors and aromas.