La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay 2025: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Gently oaked & modern

La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay 2025 is a fresh, textural King Valley white with bright citrus, creamy spice and refreshing acidity. Fruit from 37-year-old estate vines is gently handled and fermented across French oak barrels and stainless steel, giving the wine subtle oak shape while preserving its lively character. Vegan friendly and made without added preservatives, it is an approachable modern Chardonnay with plenty of food-pairing versatility.

Highlights

• No added preservatives and vegan friendly
• Crafted by the Corsini family at their King Valley estate
• Bright citrus, creamy spice and refreshing acidity
• Estate-grown fruit from 37-year-old vines at the top of the Corsini vineyard
• Fermented in French oak barrels, including 15% new oak, and stainless steel
• 12.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Bright citrus leads the aroma, with lemon-zest freshness and a gentle creamy-spice note emerging as the wine opens. The palate is medium-bodied and textural, combining fresh Chardonnay fruit with subtle oak seasoning rather than overt toastiness. Refreshing acidity keeps the creamy elements lively and carries the wine into a clean, food-friendly finish.

Winemaking

The Chardonnay was gently handled and fermented in a combination of French oak barrels and stainless steel. Fifteen per cent of the French oak component was new, adding a restrained layer of spice and texture while stainless steel helped preserve citrus brightness and freshness. No preservatives were added, and the finished wine is vegan friendly.

Vineyard & Vintage

The 2025 Chardonnay was grown on 37-year-old vines positioned at the very top of the Corsini family vineyard in King Valley. The estate occupies an east-facing, gently undulating site with deep clay-loam soils. Warm summer days and cool evening breezes from the nearby high country help the grapes develop flavour while retaining the refreshing acidity central to this wine’s style.

Why We Love It

This is Chardonnay with texture and subtle oak character, yet it remains bright enough for relaxed warm-weather drinking. The balance of citrus, creamy spice and refreshing acidity makes it easy to take from pre-dinner drinks to the table. Its estate-grown origins, mature vines and hands-on family production give the wine a particularly distinctive King Valley story.

Food Pairing

The wine’s citrus freshness suits seafood and herb-led dishes, while its creamy texture and gentle oak work beautifully with roast poultry, mushrooms and softly creamy sauces.

Try matching this wine with →

• Lemon and herb roast chicken — Find a Recipe
• Grilled fish with fennel and citrus — Find a Recipe
• Creamy mushroom pasta — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Pour it for a sunny long lunch, an easy dinner with friends or a quiet Friday evening when you want Chardonnay texture without a heavy, buttery finish. It is relaxed enough for a casual table and interesting enough to linger over.

Cellaring

This Chardonnay is styled for youthful drinking, when its citrus character and refreshing acidity are at their most vivid. Store unopened bottles somewhere cool and dark. Once opened, reseal and refrigerate the wine, then enjoy it within one to two days.

Producer

La Cantina King Valley is a family-owned estate in northeast Victoria, run by the second and third generations of the Corsini family. All fruit is grown on the property, with the wines made and bottled behind the cellar door. Peter Corsini oversees the vineyard and winery as vigneron and head winemaker, while third-generation winemaker Reuben Corsini continues the family tradition. Their hands-on, minimal-intervention approach centres on preservative-free, vegan-friendly wines. The vineyard’s east-facing slopes, clay-loam soils and cool evening breezes help preserve natural acidity, while the Tuscan-style stone cellar door reflects the family’s Italian heritage.

Related Wines To Try →

Explore three more fresh, preservative-free Australian Chardonnays:

• Creamy Riverland Chardonnay with green apple and lemon curd — Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay
• Fresh citrus and orchard fruit with a softly creamy palate — Tamburlaine Preservative Free Chardonnay
• Bright biodynamic Chardonnay with pear and gentle lees texture — Paxton NOW Preservative Free Chardonnay

FAQ

What does La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay 2025 taste like?

It shows bright citrus, gentle creamy spice and subtle French-oak character. The palate is fresh and textural, with refreshing acidity carrying the flavours into a clean finish.

Is this Chardonnay sweet, and how much body does it have?

It presents as a dry-style, medium-bodied Chardonnay with lively acidity and virtually no tannin. The creamy middle adds softness, but the wine remains fresh rather than broad or heavy.

How much oak character is in the wine?

The Chardonnay was fermented in both French oak and stainless steel, with 15% new French oak. This contributes gentle spice and texture without dominating the wine’s citrus freshness.

What temperature and glassware suit La Cantina Chardonnay?

Serve it at around 8–12°C in a medium-sized white-wine glass. A slightly wider bowl will give the citrus, creamy spice and subtle oak room to open as the wine warms gently.

Does this Chardonnay need decanting?

No formal decanting is required. Pour it straight from the bottle and allow a few minutes in the glass for the creamy spice and oak detail to emerge.

Can it be cellared, and how long does it last after opening?

Its best drinking window is while the wine is youthful and the citrus and acidity remain vivid. After opening, reseal the bottle, refrigerate it promptly and enjoy it within one to two days.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

No preservatives were added during production, making it a No Added Preservative wine. Small amounts of sulphites can occur naturally during fermentation even when none are added.

Is La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay vegan friendly?

Yes. The bottle is explicitly labelled vegan friendly, making it suitable for plant-based dining and entertaining.

What food pairs well with this Chardonnay?

Try it with lemon-and-herb roast chicken, grilled fish, creamy mushroom pasta or roast cauliflower with toasted almonds. Its acidity refreshes richer dishes, while the creamy texture complements poultry, mushrooms and mild cheeses.

Who will enjoy this wine most?

It suits drinkers who enjoy modern Chardonnay with freshness, moderate body and restrained oak. If you like crisp whites but want more texture and gentle creamy spice, this is an appealing step up.

(SKU: LC_CHA_CV)