Nero d’Avola’s reputation might have tracked Sicily’s wine renaissance, but this wasn’t always the case. Historically, this grape was considered rustic, thanks to the many chunky, musclebound wines it produced. As Justin Bubb states: “Most of the time, I found that Nero d'Avola in Sicilia was made in this really ripe, high-octane style and the wines lacked freshness and punch.” Hence, Babo’s Nero is sourced from Sambuca di Sicilia, near Menfi, where the north-facing, fossil-rich soils and cooling influence of the sea and nearby Lake Arancio tend to produce a more subtle, spicy style of Nero d'Avola—without betraying the wine’s traditional Mediterranean generosity.
Picked around 13 Baumé, the fruit was destemmed—with lots of whole berries remaining in the ferment—and fermented in small one-tonne fermenters. Extraction was gentle, and the wine was pressed off skins after 12 days to mature for 10 months in large-format French oak (2,000-litre) before bottling. Despite the warm conditions, Justin Bubb has stayed true to the Babo style and delivered a Nero of depth and spice buoyed by fresh fruit and flowers and framed by vibrant structure. Sold.