Cradle of Hills Ciao Bella Sangiovese 2024 by Cradle of Hills in McLaren Vale would follow the house style of an ultra‑premium, 100% McLaren Vale Sangiovese with an easy‑drinking, earthy and elegant profile. Based on the current Ciao Bella release, you can expect the 2024 Ciao Bella Sangiovese to be bright, savoury and distinctly Mediterranean in feel, showcasing the variety rather than heavy oak.

In the glass, the estate describes Ciao Bella as all spice and earth with an elegant, earthy nose and a luscious palate touched by a kiss of French oak, and those hallmarks should absolutely carry into a 2024 vintage. Think red cherry and red plum, hints of tomato leaf and dried herbs, subtle earth and gentle oak sweetness, carried on Sangiovese’s naturally vibrant acidity and moreish, fine tannins. The style is deliberately varietal and low‑intervention, built to show McLaren Vale’s take on Tuscan structure and perfume.

For food matching, Ciao Bella Sangiovese is a natural partner for tomato‑based pasta, wood‑fired pizza, grilled lamb, chargrilled vegetables and antipasto plates – exactly the kind of dishes that love Sangiovese’s cherry, herb and earthy notes. It will also work beautifully with ragu, Tuscan‑style sausages, hard Italian cheeses and rustic roast chicken, making it a flexible, table‑friendly red that fits seamlessly into Mediterranean‑leaning meals.