2021 Babo Chianti

Cheap Chianti can be all kinds of wrong, but this deliciously juicy, medium-bodied Tuscan red is crazy good value. As far as we know, this was the first Chianti to be bottled under screwcap and offered in a Burgundy-shaped bottle (of course, others have now followed). Quality fruit, sourced from a southwest-facing vineyard in Vinci (near Empoli), elevates this to a status far exceeding what you’d typically expect at this price point. The winemaking takes two paths. The first parcel ferments as whole bunches (fully carbonic) and is raised in concrete vats for six months. A second ferment is de-stemmed and matured in concrete for eight months. The blend captures plenty of Chianti’s trademark sour cherry tang, here combined with lifted florals and orange rind notes, juicy freshness and a hint of aniseed and dried-herb savouriness, which complements the fine acidity and gentle tannin on the finish. Just a delicious, jubey red that Justin aptly describes as “Beaujolais from Italy”.