Braida Winery Guide

EXPLORE ALL OUR RECOMMENDED ITALIAN WINERIES

Last updated: July 9, 2024

Winery Overview

The Italian red Barbera grape accounts for over 50 percent of all the vineyards planted in Piedmont. A hardy and exuberant varietal, it’s appreciated for its adaptability; a Barbera can be anything from cherry-scented and cheery to rich and robust to smooth and sultry. Yet, the grape was not always so valued here. It owes its skyrocketing prominence almost solely to one man: Giacomo Bologna. In the 1960s, this now-legendary winemaker was the first to prove that, under the proper planting and aging conditions, Barberas could rank with the great wines of the world.

The winemaker’s son, Giacomo Bologna, established the small Braida Winery in Rocchetta Tanaro in Asti, Piedmont, in 1961. By the early 1980s, Braida di Bologna Giacomo had produced three stellar crus: Uccellone, Bricco della Bigotta, and Ai Suma, a “Super Barbera,” extremely high-quality wines and some of the most famous in Italy. By planting with care and then aging the wines in small, French oak barrels to compensate for Barbera’s lack of tannins, Bologna was able to stun the Piedmont wine world by creating intensely flavorful, complex wines out of a variety normally considered to be an acidic filler.

Bologna’s widow, Anna, and children, Raffaella and Giuseppe, run the wine estate these days. With their state-of-the-art cellars and forward-thinking work ethic, they have made Braida one of the most respected wineries in Piedmont. Their wines – mostly made from indigenous varieties – are well known among wine lovers as refreshing, easy-to-drink ambassadors of the region.

Highly rated wines include:

• Il Bacialé is an elegant blend made with Barbera, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
• Montebruna is made in a large wooden barrel according to ancient tradition.
• Brachetto d’Acqui is a sparkling, fresh, and delicate red.
• Moscato d’Asti (“Vigna Senza Nome”), an elegant, aromatic wine.