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Freisa di Chieri DOC
The Turin-side freisa, from the hills where the grape was first documented in the 1500s. Lighter and fresher than the Asti version, with raspberry, wild strawberry, rose petal and a tart, tannic snap; the frizzante versions are the local tradition and the dry Superiore is the collector's version. Balbiano makes one from the vineyard of the Villa della Regina in Turin itself, which is a nice story for a critic's spreadsheet. Only a handful of producers remain.
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| Producer | Wine | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balbiano | Freisa di Chieri Superiore Dry, structured freisa from the Andezeno hills; strawberry, rose, sharp tannin, honest and old-school. | $22 to $28 | Wine-Searcher |
| Balbiano | Freisa di Chieri Vigna Villa della Regina From the restored royal vineyard inside the city of Turin; the rarest and most talked-about bottle of the DOC. | $35 to $45 | Wine-Searcher |
| Rossotto | Freisa di Chieri Frizzante The traditional fizzy, slightly sweet style, meant for salami and a Turin Sunday lunch; not exported. | $14 to $18 | Wine-Searcher |