Bricco dell’Uccellone has a medium garnet colour. On the nose at first an unpleasant smell of fish and cabbage. With some air, a more pleasant plumb and cinnamon aroma. In the mouth very rounded and smooth, with a medium long aftertaste.
Bricco della Bigotta also has a medium garnet colour. On the nose a much more pleasant aroma that reminds of chocolate, gingerbread, tiramisu and panettone. In the mouth a bit less rounded and smooth than Bricco dell’Uccellone, with a slightly less long aftertaste.
Both wines are aging well. At 11 both are still youthful, although neither has developed much complexity. In any case, I find impressive that wines made with 100% Barbera grapes can achieve such an extraordinary result. Bricco dell’Uccellone ages for 12 months in French oak barrels. Bricco della Bigotta matures for 15 months in barriques.
Both wines are the creation of Giacomo Bologna, who during a stay in California in the 1970s was introduced to barrique ageing by the famous oenologist André Tchelistcheff and became a fan of French style wines. Since the very first vintage of Bricco dell’Uccellone in 1982, Giacomo Bologna made the selection of the crus, low grape yields and the use of barriques the main tools for producing an outstanding Barbera d’Asti. Bricco della Bigotta first vintage was three years later, in 1985.
I bought these two bottles in 2015 after I visited Braida winery in Rocchetta Tanaro on my way to Barolo for some wines tasting with my son. During the visit I got to taste an old vintage of Bricco dell’Uccellone and got fascinated by the Nutella like aroma. I therefore decided to store a bottle myself and let it age. The waiting has been worthwhile. I wonder if I could have waited to drink these bottles in 2029 for my son’s 20th birthday. This was actually the original plan. Instead, I drunk them for New Year’s Eve.
For Bricco dell’Uccellone I paid 50 CHF and for Bricco della Bigotta 45 CHF back in 2015.
Country: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Grapes: Barbera
Type: Red
Vintage: 2009
Producer: Braida
Price range: Extra (50-100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5