Babo Soave 2022

Babo Soave is a Veneto white built mainly on Garganega, with a small parcel of Trebbiano di Soave.

Soave sits east of Verona on soils of volcanic and limestone origin, and after decades as a byword for cheap white it has been steadily rebuilt by growers working lower yields and better sites. Babo is Justin Bubb's Veneto project, and this is the follow-up to a well-received first release. The fruit is grown on volcanic soils at elevations between 40 and 120 metres. A dry summer in 2022 brought the harvest forward and cut yields, though Bubb reports that the fruit quality was very good. The grapes were gently pressed after a short maceration on skins to build texture, fermented in stainless steel and then held for six months on light lees before bottling. There is no oak. The result belongs to the modern, saline reading of Soave rather than the old commercial one, and it is made to be drunk rather than cellared.

Drink young, within two or three years. Good as an aperitif, with a shellfish pasta or roasted asparagus and Parmesan. Serve at 10 to 12°C.

*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: White Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Saline, Unoaked
Grape Varietal: Garganega with a small parcel of Trebbiano di Soave
Tastes Like: Comparable to a premium Pinot Grigio, but with more texture and a distinctly saline finish
Alcohol Percentage: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Soave DOC
Region: Soave, Veneto, Italy
Terroir: Volcanic soils east of Verona at elevations between 40 and 120 metres
Aging: Short maceration on skins, gently pressed, fermented in stainless steel and held six months on light lees. No oak
Serving Temperature: 10–12℃ – Serve chilled

Babo is a project making bright, easy-going Italian wines across several regions, and this Soave is its Veneto bottling, the follow-up to a well-received first release.

Soave sits east of Verona on soils of volcanic and limestone origin, and after decades as a byword for cheap white it has been steadily rebuilt by growers working lower yields and better sites. The fruit here is grown on volcanic soils at elevations between 40 and 120 metres. A dry summer in 2022 brought the harvest forward and cut yields, though fruit quality was reported as very good. The grapes were gently pressed after a short maceration on skins to build texture, fermented in stainless steel and held for six months on light lees. There is no oak.

Aperitif: Perfect on its own or with light antipasti
Seafood: Excellent with a shellfish pasta, prawns or grilled fish
Vegetarian: Pairs beautifully with roasted asparagus and Parmesan or risotto
Italian Classics: Ideal with risi e bisi, bruschetta or a simple frittata

Monte Veronese: The local Veneto cheese, mild and supple beside the wine
Asiago Fresco: Soft and gentle, complementing the wine’s light texture
Parmigiano Reggiano: Savoury and granular, cut through by the wine’s salinity
Fresh Ricotta: Light and creamy, suiting the wine’s delicate character

Risi e Bisi (Venetian Rice and Peas)

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 300g Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice
• 500g fresh peas, pods reserved
• 1.5L light chicken or vegetable stock
• 100g pancetta, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 60g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 60g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Simmer the reserved pea pods in the stock for 20 minutes, then strain and discard them. This is what gives the dish its depth.
2. Soften the onion and pancetta in half the butter and the olive oil until translucent.
3. Add the peas and a ladle of the stock, and cook for five minutes.
4. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a minute in the fat.
5. Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring gently, for around 15 minutes.
6. Keep the consistency loose. Risi e bisi should be soupier than a risotto, eaten with a spoon rather than a fork.
7. Take off the heat and beat in the remaining butter and the Parmigiano.
8. Scatter with parsley and serve immediately.

Once served to the Doge on the feast of Saint Mark, this remains the spring dish of the Veneto. Babo Soave belongs to the modern, saline reading of the appellation rather than the old commercial one, and that freshness and light texture are what a delicate bowl of rice and peas needs.