If I tell you “Piedmont” would you ever answer Freisa? I guess not.
Instead, Freisa is the native grape variety of Turin, the capital of the Piedmont region. This variety of red berry found only and exclusively in Piedmont has morphological characteristics that present an elongated, almost cylindrical cluster, medium-sized berries rich in bloom that are very resistant to disease and fungal attacks. It is grown in counter-espalier or guyot systems using terracing of the soil on the high hills of Piedmont in mineral and stony soils given its proximity to alpine rocks.
In addition to its marked organoleptic qualities, the limiting “crosses” of this vine until about the 1980s were determined by its characteristic excessive tannic presence, combined with excessive productivity, which placed it at an often disadvantageous position towards other regional varieties such as Nebbiolo or Barbera, which gave wines that were decidedly softer and more elegant in result, even though its marked tannicity has always been a typical characteristic of Piedmontese vines.
In fact, in earlier years Freisa was practically vinified only in the semi-sweet sparkling type, very drinkable and with low alcohol content, the only way to hold off these organoleptic intemperances.
It has a history dating back thousands of years although in fact the first documents in which it is named precisely as Freisa date back to the 16th century when it was mentioned with the Latin term Fresearum in the tariff schedules of the Turin town of Pancalieri.
Between the 1600s and the 1700s on the whole territory took place the multiplication of noble estates with vineyards and wineries that began to be called by the term “Vigne,” then called in general “Ville.” And it was during those years that a transition took place which marked the past and recent history of Freisa and more. Above a hill nestled in the middle of the city of Turin within a very important residence of the Duchess Christine of France, the “Vigna della Regina” was created consisting of a planting of about one and a half hectares of Freisa and with which was produced a delicious royal wine easy to drink, mellow and sweet that knew how to give also organoleptic characteristics distinctly persuasive.
In 1867 the property was donated by the Savoy family to the National Institute for the Daughters of the Military, and unfortunately the vineyard was closed and overgrown by weeds, disappearing from the townscape.
During World War II, the villa and vegetative planting were hit by bombing, which led to a long abandonment of nearly 50 years. In 1993, however, the Villa was recovered and restored by the Superintendence for Cultural and Ethnoanthropological Heritage of Piedmont, and in 2003 to make the lot productive again, the historic Turin winery Balbiano, together with the Regional Directorate for the Culltural and Landscape Heritage of Piedmont, came “into play,” and in 2005, 2546 Freisa vines were replanted for about a hectare, right where it was once cultivated by the Savoy family. In 2008 the first harvest took place, and the grapes were destined for studies at the University of Turin conducted in particular by Prof. Vincenzo Gerbi to carry out experimental micro-vinifications to create a Freisa that was organoleptically more elegant and prone to longevity.
The extraordinariness of the results led to the creation in 2009 of the first label of the obtained wine and in 2011 the Freisa vineyard of Villa della Regina was included in the enographic area of the Doc ” Freisa di Chieri” with the enlargement of this in the Superior typology with the denomination Cru “Vigna Villa della Regina” thus entering right in the Urban Vineyards Association that is the official Association of the very rare world urban vineyards, by the way the only one of the world list with the denomination.
Currently from the ‘Vigna Villa della Regina’ originate the labels of Freisa Superiore Vigna Villa della Regina, Vino Chinato della Regina, Grappa della Regina as well as Freisa cherries and Leone pastilles at the “Vigna della Regina.”
Another great milestone for the Freisa di Chieri Doc will be reached next year when it crosses the 50-year mark. This Doc is the oldest Freisa, now produced in DOC versions FREISA D’ASTI, MONFERRATO FREISA, LANGHE FREISA, COLLI TORTONESI FREISA and PINEROLESE FREISA. If you have never done this the next time you are asked about Piedmont, also answer FREISA.