Braida Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG

This wine falls under the sparkling category with an enjoyable fizz. Meant as a dessert wine, this Brachetto presents itself in a clear and almost translucent ruby red color with purple reflections. On the nose, a floral bouquet with a prominent scent of dried rose combined with honey and strawberries. Packs a medium acidity but is smooth to drink with less tannin. Dynamic foam and persistent perlage. The taste is sweet, soft, sparkling, enchanting and persistent.

With a relatively low alcohol content of 5.5%, Braida Brachetto d'Acqui is traditionally served with dessert at the end of a meal or in the middle of the afternoon.

It pairs with strawberries, forest fruits and with dried fruit too, such as walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios and figs. The most traditional pairing is with pastries and cakes, from Christmas panettone to jam tart. Braida Brachetto d’Acqui is perhaps the only wine in the world which is the perfect match for chocolate. Ideal serve is at 6 – 8°C.

Braida’s story is linked to that of Rocchetta Tanaro, a small town in the Monferrato area. “My village is not a surprise, it is ten vineyards, six houses, one church“: these are the words of the chansonnier Paolo Frola, who is also the local GP in Rocchetta. The song was written with Gianni Mura, drinking the Barbera of Rocchetta. Some of the ten vineyards in Frola’s song belong to Braida. They were owned by grandfather Giuseppe, who left them to his son Giacomo, and now they are cultivated by Giuseppe and Raffaella Bologna. The estate is the product of the enthusiasm, passion and entrepreneurial courage of a bona fide Rocchettese, Giacomo Bologna.

“Braida” was the nickname that Giacomo’s father, Giuseppe Bologna, a professional carter, had earned himself by playing handball, because of his resemblance to the champion of this sport. Along with his father’s nickname Giacomo also inherited his love of the sport and of horses, and a large Barbera vineyard on the Rocchetta hills.

Giacomo loved the sport of handball, or “pallone elastico”, a Piedmontese game played in the hills around Acqui, the finest area for the production of Brachetto. This is how Giacomo, like his father before him, came to inherit the nickname of the handball champion “Braida”, and how, in 1967, their family began making Brachetto d’Acqui.

Fine sparkling wine must be handled with care. For short-term storage (a few days to a month), you can keep your bottle upright—but away from bright or artificial light. The ideal temperature for storage is between 7 to 10°C. Once opened, a bottle will be good for 1 to 3 days standing upright in the refrigerator.