Wild Folk Preservative Free Nero D’Avola: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Savoury, Herbal & Food-Friendly

A juicy, savoury red that lands somewhere between easy-drinking and properly characterful. Red berry fruit leads the way, but it is the earthy darker notes and gentle grip that give this Nero d’Avola more shape than a simple fruit-bomb. The palate has a soft, approachable roundness, while the grape’s naturally high acidity keeps everything lively and food-friendly. It is dry, medium-bodied and very easy to like, especially if you enjoy reds with a little more savoury edge than plush sweetness.

Highlights

• Vegan suitable and No Added Preservative
• Crafted by Wild Folk — a minimal-intervention natural wine range built around wild-fermented, unfined and unfiltered wines
• Red berry fruit, earthy savoury notes and a gentle grip on the finish
• McLaren Vale Nero d’Avola, a grape well suited to warm Mediterranean conditions
• Handpicked, wild-fermented and bottled shortly after in stainless steel with minimal additions
• 13.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

This 2024 Nero d’Avola is all about drinkability, but it still carries enough savoury detail to stay interesting. Red berry fruit sits at the centre, with earthy notes bringing a slightly darker, more grounded feel. The palate is soft and rounded on entry, then the grape’s natural acidity tightens everything up through the middle. A light grip on the finish stops it from feeling too glossy and makes it especially handy at the table.

Winemaking

Wild Folk keeps this wine very straightforward in the winery. The fruit was handpicked and sorted, then fermented in open fermenters with plunging. After fermentation it was moved to stainless steel and bottled shortly after, with minimal additions and no fining or filtration. That handling preserves the bright fruit, keeps the texture natural and suits the no-added-preservative style.

Vineyard & Vintage

McLaren Vale and Sicily share plenty of climatic overlap, which helps explain why Nero d’Avola performs so well here. Warm days build flavour and generosity, while the grape’s naturally high acidity keeps the finished wine fresh. The 2024 release shows that regional fit clearly: ripe enough to feel generous, but still lively and savoury rather than heavy.

Why We Love It

This is a very useful red to have around because it covers a lot of ground. It is easy enough for pizza or pasta on a weeknight, but it still has enough grip and savoury character to hold attention in the glass. If you like Mediterranean-style reds that are bright, dry and not too oaky, it makes a lot of sense.

Food Pairing

Nero d’Avola’s natural acidity and savoury edge make it a very good match for tomato-based dishes, grilled vegetables and simple meats. It is especially good where there is richness in the food but you still want the wine to stay fresh. Try matching this wine with →

• Meaty ragu — Find a Recipe
• Eggplant parmigiana — Find a Recipe
• Sicilian-style roasted capsicum pasta — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

A very easy bottle for pasta night, casual dinners and those evenings when you want something savoury, bright and uncomplicated, but still with real character in the glass.

Cellaring

This is best enjoyed while the fruit is fresh and the acidity still has plenty of energy. Drink now and over the next couple of years for the most vibrant expression.

Producer

Wild Folk is a minimal-intervention range built around wines that are wild yeast fermented, preservative free, unfined and unfiltered. The focus is on fruit that is nurtured in the vineyard and handled gently in the winery without artifice. That ethos suits this Nero d’Avola particularly well. The grape already brings natural acidity and savoury shape, so the restrained approach lets the wine stay bright, drink-now and true to both variety and site. It is a practical, low-fuss expression of natural wine that still tastes properly grounded.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy this juicy, savoury Mediterranean-style red, these are worth comparing:

• From the same producer, darker and spicier preservative-free red — Wild Folk Preservative Free Shiraz
• Another medium-bodied savoury red from a different producer — Tamburlaine Point 65 Tempranillo
• Same producer, lighter red with more delicate fruit — Wild Folk Preservative Free Pinot Noir

FAQ

What does Wild Folk Preservative Free Nero D’Avola taste like?

It shows red berry fruit with earthy savoury notes and a gentle grip on the finish. The palate is medium-bodied, dry and rounded, with bright natural acidity that keeps it lively.

Is this wine dry?

Yes, it is a dry red wine. The specs list 0.4 g/L residual sugar, which sits firmly in the dry range and matches how it drinks on the palate.

What is Nero d’Avola?

Nero d’Avola is a red grape from Sicily that tends to suit warm climates very well. It often gives wines with dark or red fruit, savoury notes and naturally good acidity, which is why it works so convincingly in McLaren Vale.

How full-bodied is it?

This sits around medium-bodied. It has enough fruit and roundness to feel satisfying, but it is not a heavy or especially dense red.

Does it need decanting?

It does not need a long decant. A quick splash in the glass is enough if you want to let the savoury notes open a little further.

What temperature and glassware work best?

Serve it at around 15–17°C in a medium red wine glass. That keeps the fruit bright and lets the acidity and grip stay nicely in proportion.

Can this wine be cellared?

This is more of a drink-now style than a long-term cellaring wine. Enjoy it over the next couple of years while the fruit stays vivid and the acidity fresh.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

This is a No Added Preservative wine. Wild Folk also describes the range as preservative free, with no sulphur added, so the wine should only contain naturally occurring sulphites from fermentation.

Is this wine vegan friendly?

Yes, it is listed as vegan suitable. It is also bottled unfined and unfiltered, which fits the broader Wild Folk approach.

What food works best with this wine?

It works especially well with meaty ragu, pizza, grilled eggplant and tomato-based pasta dishes. The bright acidity and savoury edge make it very food-friendly.

Who is this wine likely to suit?

It will suit drinkers who enjoy Sangiovese, Tempranillo or other medium-bodied reds with brightness and a savoury edge. If you like reds that are dry, juicy and easy with food, this is a strong fit.

(SKU: FO_NdA_CV)