La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Rustic, Textured & Honest

This estate-grown King Valley Sangiovese combines ripe plum and stewed cherry with violet, earthy spice and a savoury umami edge. Medium-bodied and energetic rather than heavy, it carries its generous fruit on bright acidity and fine, softly grippy tannins. Vegan friendly and made without added preservatives, it is a distinctly food-minded Australian interpretation of an Italian classic.

Highlights

• Vegan friendly and made with no preservatives added
• Crafted by Peter Corsini and the Corsini family at their King Valley estate
• Bright plum, stewed cherry, violet and earthy spice
• Estate-grown fruit from an east-facing King Valley vineyard
• Selected by two panellists among their standout wines in Young Gun of Wine’s 2026 no-added-preservative blind tasting
• 14.2% ABV

Tasting Notes

Violet and dark fruit lead into stewed cherry, blood plum and pomegranate, with tobacco, earthy spice and a lightly savoury, umami-rich undertone adding complexity. The palate is medium-bodied and focused, balancing ripe fruit with lively raspberry-like acidity and fine-grained tannins. Cocoa, subtle vanilla and a mineral note emerge through a fresh, gently grippy finish.

Winemaking

The Sangiovese is grown, made and bottled at the Corsini family’s King Valley property. Traditional family methods and gentle, minimal-intervention handling are used to retain the fruit’s natural character, with no preservatives added. La Cantina’s established house approach also avoids filtration, preserving the wine’s texture and savoury detail.

Vineyard & Vintage

The 2024 fruit comes from La Cantina’s estate vineyard in the heart of the King Valley. Its gently undulating, east-facing slopes sit approximately 220–260 metres above sea level on deep clay-loam soils. Warm summer days encourage flavour development, while cool evening air descending from the high country helps retain natural acidity. Sangiovese has been grown here since the late 1990s, with newer clones introduced through the family’s continuing grafting program.

Why We Love It

This is Sangiovese with both rustic warmth and refreshing drive: ripe enough to offer plum and cherry generosity, yet savoury and bright enough to keep returning to the glass. It has the structure for tomato-rich dishes, the softness for an uncomplicated weeknight pasta and enough unusual detail to reward slower sipping around the table.

Food Pairing

Its bright acidity, savoury fruit and fine tannins are natural partners for tomato, mushrooms, herbs, roasted vegetables, sausages and slow-cooked sauces.

Try matching this wine with →

• Mushroom ragù with soft polenta — Find a Recipe
• Aubergine parmigiana with tomato and basil — Find a Recipe
• Italian sausages with roasted tomato and polenta — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Bring it out for a generous bowl of pasta, a relaxed family dinner or an autumn evening with friends. It is comforting enough for the fireside but bright enough to carry a long lunch without becoming heavy.

Cellaring

Delicious now for its vivid fruit and lively savoury detail, with enough acidity and tannin to drink confidently through 2028 under cool, stable storage. Once opened, reseal it, refrigerate promptly and enjoy within one to two days.

Producer

La Cantina is a family-owned vineyard and winery in Victoria’s King Valley, founded by Gino and Carmel Corsini and now run by the family’s second and third generations. Peter Corsini oversees the vineyard and winery alongside third-generation winemaker Reuben Corsini. All fruit is estate-grown, with the wines made and bottled on site using traditional, minimal-intervention methods. The east-facing vineyard lies on deep clay-loam soil, where warm days and cool evening air support ripe flavour and natural acidity. Its Italian varieties and Tuscan-style stone cellar door reflect the Corsini family’s heritage and enduring belief that wine belongs at the table.

Related Wines To Try →

Explore another King Valley expression from the Corsini family or compare this wine with a biodynamic Australian Sangiovese.

• Textural King Valley white with honey and stone fruit — La Cantina Preservative Free Fiano
• Fresh, gently oaked King Valley Chardonnay — La Cantina Preservative Free Chardonnay
• Bright, savoury biodynamic Sangiovese — Paxton Sangiovese

FAQ

What does La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese 2024 taste like?

It combines plum, stewed cherry, pomegranate and violet with earthy spice, tobacco and a savoury undertone. The finish is fresh and gently grippy, with cocoa and mineral detail emerging as the wine opens.

Is this Sangiovese sweet, full-bodied or highly tannic?

It presents as a dry, medium-bodied red rather than a sweet or particularly heavy wine. Tannins are fine and low-to-medium, while the acidity is medium-high and keeps the ripe fruit energetic.

How should I serve this King Valley red?

Serve it at approximately 15–17°C in a medium-sized red-wine glass with a gently tapered bowl. Avoid serving it too warm, as a cool cellar temperature gives the cherry, plum and violet notes greater definition.

Does La Cantina Sangiovese need decanting?

A short 15–20 minute decant can help the savoury spice and darker fruit open, but it is not essential. A generous swirl in the glass will also soften the tannins and release the wine’s violet and cherry aromas.

Can the 2024 Sangiovese be cellared?

It is already expressive and can be enjoyed now, but its acidity and fine tannin should support drinking through 2028 under cool, stable storage. The freshest fruit character will be most prominent earlier in that window.

Does this wine contain added preservatives or sulphites?

No preservatives are added during production, placing it in the No Added Preservative collection. Fermentation may naturally create trace amounts of sulphites even when none are deliberately added.

Is La Cantina Preservative Free Sangiovese vegan friendly?

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

What food pairs well with this Sangiovese?

Try it with tomato-based pasta, mushroom ragù, Italian sausages, pizza or slow-cooked lamb. Vegetarian dishes such as aubergine parmigiana, lentil ragù and grilled Mediterranean vegetables also suit its acidity and savoury fruit.

Who will love this wine most?

It is ideal for drinkers who prefer savoury, food-friendly reds over very sweet-fruited or heavily oaked styles. If you enjoy Chianti-style Sangiovese, Barbera, medium-bodied Grenache or brighter expressions of Shiraz, this should be an appealing match.

How long will the wine last after opening?

For the freshest expression, reseal the bottle, place it in the fridge and enjoy it within one to two days. Allow the wine to return towards cool cellar temperature before serving again.

(SKU: LC_SAN_CV)