Babo Chianti 2024

Babo Chianti is a Tuscan Sangiovese that was, as far as its importer knows, the first wine in the appellation bottled under screwcap.

Chianti DOCG covers a wide sweep of Tuscany beyond the Classico heartland, and quality here depends almost entirely on where the fruit is grown. Babo's comes from a southwest-facing vineyard on alberese, the compact clay and limestone the region is known for, at Vinci near Empoli. The winemaking runs on two tracks. One parcel ferments as whole bunches, fully carbonic, then spends six months in concrete vats; the second is destemmed and matures in concrete for eight months. Neither sees oak. The carbonic portion supplies lift and juiciness while the destemmed parcel carries the sour-cherry tang, floral character and dried-herb savour that mark good Chianti. The two are blended and sealed under screwcap in a Burgundy-shaped bottle rather than the usual Bordeaux shape, a pair of choices that were unusual for the appellation when Babo made them and have since been copied.

Made for drinking young, over the next two or three years; serve at 16°C, slightly cool, with pizza, salumi or a simple ragu.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: Red Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Juicy, Unoaked
Grape Varietal: Sangiovese
Tastes Like: Comparable to a light, fruit-forward Pinot Noir, but with a sour-cherry tang and dried-herb savour
Alcohol Percentage: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Chianti DOCG
Region: Vinci, near Empoli, Tuscany, Italy
Terroir: A southwest-facing vineyard on alberese, the compact clay and limestone of the region
Aging: One parcel fully carbonic then six months in concrete, a second destemmed and eight months in concrete, blended before bottling. No oak
Serving Temperature: 16℃ – Serve slightly cool

Babo’s range is built around bright, easy-going wines that do not ask to be cellared. This Chianti was, as far as its importer knows, the first wine in the appellation bottled under screwcap, and it is sealed in a Burgundy-shaped bottle rather than the usual Bordeaux shape, a pair of choices that were unusual for Chianti at the time and have since been copied.

Chianti DOCG covers a wide sweep of Tuscany beyond the Classico heartland, and quality here depends almost entirely on where the fruit is grown. Babo’s comes from a southwest-facing vineyard on alberese, the compact clay and limestone the region is known for, at Vinci near Empoli. The winemaking runs on two tracks: one parcel ferments as whole bunches, fully carbonic, then spends six months in concrete; the second is destemmed and matures in concrete for eight months. Neither sees oak.

Pizza: Perfect with margherita, salami or vegetable pizza
Salumi: Excellent with prosciutto, finocchiona and Tuscan cured meats
Pasta: Pairs beautifully with a simple ragù or tomato-based sauces
Vegetarian: Ideal with ribollita, bean soups or grilled vegetables

Pecorino Toscano: Firm and lightly salty, the local match for the wine
Parmigiano Reggiano: Nutty and savoury, complementing the wine’s sour cherry tang
Caciotta Toscana: Mild and supple, suiting the wine’s easy style
Fresh Ricotta: Light and creamy, balanced by the wine’s acidity

Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Soup)

Ingredients (Serves 6):

• 400g cooked cannellini beans, with their liquid
• 1 bunch cavolo nero, stalks removed and leaves torn
• 1/4 savoy cabbage, shredded
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 400g tinned tomatoes, crushed
• 300g stale sourdough, torn into pieces
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus plenty to finish
• 1 sprig thyme
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Soften the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in four tablespoons of olive oil over a low heat for 15 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and thyme and cook for 10 minutes until slightly reduced.
3. Purée half the beans with a little of their liquid and stir this into the pot with the whole remaining beans.
4. Add the cavolo nero and cabbage with enough water to cover, and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
5. Stir in the torn bread and cook for a further 20 minutes until it collapses into the soup.
6. Season generously and leave to cool completely.
7. The following day, reheat slowly until thick enough for a spoon to stand in. This second boiling is what gives the dish its name.
8. Serve in warm bowls with a heavy pour of olive oil over each.

The most Tuscan dish there is, built from stale bread and whatever the garden gives. Babo Chianti is the right partner precisely because it is not grand: its sour-cherry tang and dried-herb savour meet the cavolo nero and beans, and its juiciness lifts what is otherwise a very dense bowl.