The freisa grape variety has always been grown in the area, but it became the leading local variety during the 20th century thanks to the variety of ways it can be vinified. Since freisa is very rich in colour and body, it has always been in demand to boost other wines deficient in these qualities. But by the same token it has often been relegated to a secondary role.
Cascina Gilli, however, has always regarded freisa as a complex, noble grape capable of yielding impressive wines, providing it is vinified and matured in an appropriate manner. The “Freisa vivace” and “Freisa Vigna del Forno” versions won popularity right from their first release, and Gianni Vergnano earned immediate respect as an outstanding master of this style.
Vergnano’s high opinion of freisa was bolstered by recent research published in 2004 by Prof. Schneider and her colleagues at the Istituto di S. Michele all’Adige and at the University of Davis (California USA), which pointed to the extremely close genetic relationship between freisa and nebbiolo, Piedmont’s most celebrated red grape.
Such a relationship had already been proposed by the Department of Oenology at the Università di Torino, and in particular by Prof. Gerbi in 2002.
That was the first year in fact that freisa grapes from several outstanding vineyards in the Castelnuovo area, among them Cascina Gilli’s Cornareto, underwent analysis for polyphenol content, in order to gain a better idea of the variety’s winemaking potential.
The results were a pleasant surprise, although they underlined difficulties often encountered in vinifying freisa. The wines show great polyphenolic concentration; on the one hand, this means that these wines are sturdily structured and capable of long cellaring, but on the other, if they are not given adequate maturation and if great care is not paid to vinification, one runs the risk of making wines that are awkward and fairly rough.
Vergnano’s intuitions enabled Cascina Gilli to launch its Arvelè project (revelation), which led to an ambitious Freisa that spends at least 18 months in 225 – and 500 – litre barrels. We are only in the first stages of this experiment, but we have already succeeded in amazing those who thought that freisa was capable of producing only “light, fizzy wines.”
Our task now is to consolidate the results we have achieved, to introduce Freisa to the international market as well, so that it will finally be accorded the standing it deserves.


