1997 Giacomo Bologna/Braida Barbera d'Asti Ai Suma 14.0%
The late Giacomo Bologna tried to do for Barbera what Angelo Gaja did for Barbaresco, raising the grape's profile and achieving high scores from pundits and high scorns from traditionalists. I first tasted the powerful 1996 in a restaurant in Italy in the late 90s, when my taste was still a baby, and was very impressed, almost intimidated.
We've been going through a case of the 1997s slowly over the last three years, and every bottle has been very good, when not impressive. Aromas from bottle VII are elegant and complex, with leather, oak, plums, blackberries, chocolate and iodine. Good acidity, well integrated alcohol, with aged tannins that are soft and clear. The oak feels very much in balance with the rest, like a subtle condiment. Overall, the impression is of excellence and harmony, showing how even modern styles are capable of ageing gracefully and how time can profitably attenuate the differences between modern and traditional.