Beverage
Freisa
Freisa is a Piedmontese red related to Nebbiolo, offering raspberry, violet, and sometimes lightly bitter almond or herb notes with firm tannin and lively acid. Styles range from dry still reds to frizzante and slightly sweet versions; quality dry Freisa is a serious food wine rather than a simple quaffer. It can taste rustic young and gains polish with air or short ageing. Deglaze pork, veal, and mushroom pans with dry Freisa; the tannin structure stands up to agnolotti and roast meats better than soft Merlot. Frizzante bottles suit charcuterie pairings more than long reductions. Choose dry secco labels for savoury cookery so residual sugar does not skew the sauce.
Also known as: Freisa
Track this ingredient
Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Freisa was recorded in Piedmont as a local red for still and lightly sparkling table wines.
Turin-area and Langhe growers kept Freisa as a everyday and osteria red alongside Barbera and Nebbiolo.
Artisan producers revived dry, structured Freisa as a serious Piedmontese red beyond frizzante sweet styles.