Freisa is one of the handful of indigenous Piedmontese grape varieties (alongside Grignolino, Ruché, Brachetto…) that, in the best cases, can produce excellent wines and, even under normal conditions, still yield very good ones. However, it has remained largely overshadowed by Nebbiolo and has only been planted relatively rarely in recent decades.
The first documented mentions of Freisa date back to the early 16th century in customs records. Interestingly, the tariffs levied on it were twice as high as those for other grape varieties—an indication that the wines made from it were already appreciated back then. That Freisa remained in high regard is also evidenced by reports from the 18th and 19th centuries. A certain Nuvolone described it as a top-tier variety, and the evidently rather euphoric poet Goffredo Casalis referred to it as a "sacred tincture."
Until the 19th century, Freisa was cultivated across Piedmont, especially around Asti. Unlike Nebbiolo, with which it shares a close genetic relationship (a parent-child connection, though it's unclear which is which), Freisa is relatively easy to manage and quite productive. Many winegrowers took advantage of this trait, leading to a gradual decline in quality and a tarnished reputation for the variety.
Only in recent years has there been a renewed recognition of Freisa’s potential. It offers firm tannins, vibrant acidity, and a delicate aroma often reminiscent of strawberries (Freisa is Latin for strawberry). Instead of being vinified—as was often the case in recent decades—into sparkling or semi-sweet bargain wines, a new generation of winemakers has begun reducing yields, allowing extended skin contact, and aging Freisa for long periods in large wooden barrels. Ian D’Agata, author of Native Grapes of Italy, even suggests that after 10–12 years, it becomes difficult to distinguish high-quality Freisa from Nebbiolo.
Guido Zampaglione of Tenuta Grillo exemplifies this conscientious approach to Freisa. He allows the wine to remain in contact with the skins for several weeks, followed by aging periods measured not in years, but in decades. The current version of his Pecoranera dates from 2004. It smells of red berries, meat and leather, wilted flowers, earth and underbrush, and is juicy, powerful, vibrant, dynamic, compact, uncompromising, rough, wild, and untamed.
