Babo Chianti 2021

It’s hard not to get over-excited about the wines from this talented producer—they offer such deliciousness, value and drinkability. The Babo range delivers the afore-mentioned qualities in spades, while still maintaining superb classicism. They taste like the places they come from, but with a purity and balance that is a rare find at these price levels. The man behind the label is the talented Justin Bubb (today also known for his work in Tasmania, with his wife Anna Pooley at Pooley Vineyards). Justin cut his winemaking teeth working in Chianti and it was during his time in this region, working for a large company, that he realised he had an opportunity to produce some great value Italian wine for his home market. And so, Babo was born. This is a vibrant Chianti. Quality fruit—sourced from Vinci (near Empoli) from a south-west facing vineyard—and partial carbonic maceration elevate this to a status that far exceeds what you’d normally expect at this price point. It was also the first Chianti, as far as we know, to be bottled under screwcap and to be offered in a Burgundy-shaped bottle.