Freisa
Encyclopedia
Freisa is a red Italian wine
grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy
, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe
, but also further north in the provinces of Turin
and Biella
. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. By the 1880s it had become one of the major Piedmontese grapes, and in that period its cultivation was stimulated by the vine’s resistance to the downy mildew
caused by the Plasmopara viticola
fungus. Wines made from the Freisa grape are red and usually somewhat sweet and lightly sparkling, or foaming. Still and fully sparkling versions are also produced, however, as are dry and more decidedly sweet styles. In the Canavese
there is also a rosé
which can be made primarily from Freisa according to Denominazione di origine controllata
(DOC) regulations.
region date back to at least the 18th century and ampelographers believe that the grape likely originated there in the hills between Asti
and Turin. Recent DNA profiling by the University of California, Davis
revealed that Freisa has a parent-offspring relationship with Nebbiolo. There are two major clonal varieties of Freisa-a small berried clone known as Freisa Piccolo which is more widely planted and a larger berry Freisa Grossa or Freisa di Nizza that tends to be planted on flatter, fertile terrain and produced less distinguished wine. Freisa di Chieri is potentially its own sub-variety of Freisa Piccolo grown in the Chieri
region and distinguished by its own DOC. It creates a very perfumed, deep colored and tannic wine.
Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. The vine is highly resistance to peronospera but has some susceptibility to oidium
. It grows best in well exposed, sunny sites on hillsides.
. Traditionally Freisa was produced as a slightly sparkling wine with some noticeable sweetness. To balance the bitterness from the grape and aging on its lees, the wines would be made with a small amount of residual sugar and allowed to go through a secondary fermentation
to create a limited amount of frothiness. This bitter/sweet dynamic has brought Freisa its share of fans and critics with wine experts such Hugh Johnson describing the wine as being "immensely appetizing" to Robert M. Parker, Jr.
describing Freisa as producing "totally repugnant wines".
Modern winemaking technology has introduced techniques to minimize some of the bitter tannins and ferment the wine fully dry. These include temperature control fermentation vessels and aging in oak barrels. Like Nebbiolo, Freisa produces a relatively light colored wine but with more distinctive purple hues. The wines are often characterized with strawberry
, raspberry
and violet aromas.
. This creates a highly tannic wine with the potential for complex flavors.
s of the vine planted in Argentina carried over to South America
by Italian immigrants. Even within Piedmont its acreage is declining. It is most commonly found in the Asti, Langhe, Monferrato and Pinerolese regions.
85%–100% Freisa:
Wines which may be made primarily from Freisa (at least 60%), or from which it may be absent:
Other wines which may include smaller percentages of Freisa:
Italian wine
Italian wine is wine produced in Italy, a country which is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Italy is the world's largest wine producer, responsible for approximately one-fifth of world wine production in 2005. Italian wine is exported largely around the world and has...
grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe
Langhe
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy....
, but also further north in the provinces of Turin
Province of Turin
The Province of Turin is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin.It has an area of 6,830 km², and a total population of 2,277,686 . There are 315 comuni in the province – the most of any province in Italy...
and Biella
Province of Biella
The Province of Biella is a province of Italy located in Piedmont. It was created in 1992 and its capital is the city of Biella.It has an area of 913 km², and a total population of 187,249...
. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. By the 1880s it had become one of the major Piedmontese grapes, and in that period its cultivation was stimulated by the vine’s resistance to the downy mildew
Downy mildew
Downy mildew refers to any of several types of oomycete microbes that are obligate parasites of plants. Downy mildews exclusively belong to Peronosporaceae. In commercial agriculture, they are a particular problem for growers of crucifers, grapes and vegetables that grow on vines...
caused by the Plasmopara viticola
Plasmopara viticola
Plasmopara viticola, the causal agent of grapevine downy mildew, is a heterothallic oomycete that overwinters as oospores in leaf litter and soil. In the spring, oospores germinate to produce macrosporangia, which under wet conditions release zoospores. Zoospores are splashed by rain into the...
fungus. Wines made from the Freisa grape are red and usually somewhat sweet and lightly sparkling, or foaming. Still and fully sparkling versions are also produced, however, as are dry and more decidedly sweet styles. In the Canavese
Canavese
thumb|250px|Church of Santa Croce at [[Sparone]].Canavese is a subalpine geographical and historical area of north-west Italy which lies today within the Province of Turin in Piedmont. Its main town is Ivrea and it is famous for its castles.-Location:...
there is also a rosé
Rosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
which can be made primarily from Freisa according to Denominazione di origine controllata
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
(DOC) regulations.
History and viticulture
Plantings of Freisa in the PiedmontPiedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
region date back to at least the 18th century and ampelographers believe that the grape likely originated there in the hills between Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
and Turin. Recent DNA profiling by the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
revealed that Freisa has a parent-offspring relationship with Nebbiolo. There are two major clonal varieties of Freisa-a small berried clone known as Freisa Piccolo which is more widely planted and a larger berry Freisa Grossa or Freisa di Nizza that tends to be planted on flatter, fertile terrain and produced less distinguished wine. Freisa di Chieri is potentially its own sub-variety of Freisa Piccolo grown in the Chieri
Chieri
Chieri is a town and comune in the province of Turin, Piedmont , located about 11 km southeast of Turin...
region and distinguished by its own DOC. It creates a very perfumed, deep colored and tannic wine.
Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. The vine is highly resistance to peronospera but has some susceptibility to oidium
Oidium
This article is about a type of fungal spore. For the ascomycete genus, see Oidium . For the fungus that causes powdery mildew on grapes, see Uncinula necator....
. It grows best in well exposed, sunny sites on hillsides.
Wines
Similar to Nebbiolo, Freisa produces wines with considerable tannins and acidity. While it can be used in blends, it is most often encountered as a varietalVarietal
"Varietal" describes wines made primarily from a single named grape variety, and which typically displays the name of that variety on the wine label. Examples of grape varieties commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot...
. Traditionally Freisa was produced as a slightly sparkling wine with some noticeable sweetness. To balance the bitterness from the grape and aging on its lees, the wines would be made with a small amount of residual sugar and allowed to go through a secondary fermentation
Secondary fermentation
Secondary fermentation is a process commonly associated with winemaking, which entails a second period of fermentation in a different vessel than what was used when the fermentation process first started. An example of this would be starting fermentation in a carboy or stainless steel tank and then...
to create a limited amount of frothiness. This bitter/sweet dynamic has brought Freisa its share of fans and critics with wine experts such Hugh Johnson describing the wine as being "immensely appetizing" to Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. is a leading U.S. wine critic with an international influence. His wine ratings on a 100-point scale and his newsletter The Wine Advocate, with his particular stylistic preferences and notetaking vocabulary, have become very influential in American wine buying and are...
describing Freisa as producing "totally repugnant wines".
Modern winemaking technology has introduced techniques to minimize some of the bitter tannins and ferment the wine fully dry. These include temperature control fermentation vessels and aging in oak barrels. Like Nebbiolo, Freisa produces a relatively light colored wine but with more distinctive purple hues. The wines are often characterized with strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
and violet aromas.
Freisa Nebbiolata
Freisa Nebbiolata is a specialty wine of the Piedmont region made in a ripasso style. In this style, the Fresia must is fermented with left over Nebbiolo skins from the production of BaroloBarolo
Barolo is a red Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy's greatest wines...
. This creates a highly tannic wine with the potential for complex flavors.
Wine regions
Freisa is seen rarely outside of its Piedmont homeland, though there are a few hundred acreAcre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s of the vine planted in Argentina carried over to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
by Italian immigrants. Even within Piedmont its acreage is declining. It is most commonly found in the Asti, Langhe, Monferrato and Pinerolese regions.
List of DOC wines employing the Freisa grape
100% Freisa:- in the province of AstiProvince of AstiThe Province of Asti is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the north west it borders on the province of Turin; to the south west it borders on the province of Cuneo. To the east it borders on the province of Alessandria, while in the south it...
- Freisa d'Asti
- Freisa d'Asti superiore
- in the province of Cuneo
- Langhe Freisa
- Langhe Freisa Vigna
- in the Province of Turin
- Freisa di Chieri amabile
- Freisa di Chieri frizzante
- Freisa di Chieri secco
- Freisa di Chieri spumante
- Freisa di Chieri superiore
85%–100% Freisa:
- In the provinces of Asti and Alessandria
- Monferrato Freisa
- Monferrato Freisa novello
- Monferrato rosso
- In the provinces of Cuneo and Turin
- Pineronese Freisa
Wines which may be made primarily from Freisa (at least 60%), or from which it may be absent:
- In the provinces of Biella and Turin
- Canavese rosato
- Canavese rosso
Other wines which may include smaller percentages of Freisa:
- In the province of Asti
- Albugnano rosato (0%–15% Freisa)
- Albugnano rosso (0%–15% Freisa)
- Albugnano superiore (0%–15% Freisa)
- Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don BoscoMalvasia di Castelnuovo Don BoscoMalvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco is a sweet, sparkling, red or rosé DOC dessert wine produced in the Italian province of Asti from the Malvasia di Schierano grape variety with the optional addition of up to 15% Freisa....
, in still and spumante versions (0%–15% Freisa) - Grignolino d'Asti (0%–10% Freisa)
- In the province of Alessandria
- Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese (0%–10% Freisa)
Synonyms
Synonyms for Freisa include Monferrina, Monfreisa, Fessietta, Freisa di Chieri, Fresa, and Spannina.External links
- Unione produttori vini albesi :: Fresia
- :it:Freisa d'Asti , from the Italian WikipediaItalian WikipediaThe Italian Wikipedia is the Italian-language edition of Wikipedia. This edition was created on May 11, 2001 and first edited on June 11, 2001. As of 2011 it has over articles and more than registered accounts...
- :it:Categoria:Vini DOC e DOCG prodotti con uva Freisa
- www.enotime.it/zoom :: Il Freisa