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.

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.

This historic wine put Barbera on the world wine map. It offers the richness and concentration of the Bricco della Bigotta, with the lighted style of the more immediate Montebruna. The character of the Braida 2018 Barbera d'Asti Bricco dell'Uccellone is more sophisticated and complex, with dark blackberry, toasted nutmeg and Spanish cedar. Wait for it, there's that pop of acidity on the close. Some 70,000 of these bottles were made.

One of the wines that changed the modern history of Italian wine, this expression from Braida is an evergreen favorite. The 2017 Barbera d'Asti Bricco dell'Uccellone is a dark and almost impenetrable expression with bold layers of thick, dark fruit. The wine is constructed like a little tower, layer upon layer, that rises tall with momentum and power. The intensity is beautiful, and that's always been the defining trait of Uccellone. It drinks beautifully now, but it will hold its own in the cellar.

Here's an Italian icon in all its glory. The Braida 2016 Barbera d'Asti Bricco dell'Uccellone is a layered and rich expression of Barbera. This wine has benefitted from a few extra years of bottle age to show elegant and integrated results. The bouquet reveals seamless transitions with dark fruit, spice and dried blackberry. It sits firmly on the palate, imparting ample textural richness and lasting fruit flavors. However, the main takeaway here is the bright acidity that is always at the top of any Barbera playlist. That freshness breaks apart the wine's texture and dark fruit, giving it the latitude to pair with a cream or butter-heavy dish.