Freisa is a Piedmontese red related to Nebbiolo, one parent, the other unrecorded. California's acreage report shows it only briefly, with 135 bearing acres logged as of 2001 before it dropped out of that report entirely. Crush data tells a longer story: the variety shows up in 25 of the last 26 vintages across eight crush districts, meaning wineries kept buying and crushing it long after CDFA stopped counting where it grew. It is a minor, high-acid, tannic red used almost entirely for small-lot Italian-style bottlings rather than as blending stock.
What kind of grape this is
- Species
- VITIS VINIFERA LINNÉ SUBSP. SATIVA (DE CANDOLLE) HEGI
- Berry color
- NOIR
- Country of origin
- ITALY
- Synonyms
- 48
- Approved on a US label
- Freisa
- FPS selections
- 3
names this grape is known by elsewhere, per VIVC
the names TTB permits on a bottle
distinct clones and selections held at UC Davis
Registries
What is published
Counts describe what this atlas holds for Freisa, not what California grows. A zero is a published answer: it means the source names the grape and reports nothing under it, or does not name it at all.
- 8
county-years of acreage
4 counties
- 107
district-years of crush
8 of 17 crush districts, 25 crop years
- 107
district-years of Brix
tonnage-weighted at the crusher, Crush Report Table 3
- 0
producers in this atlas
producers whose curated wine list names it — a curated roster of 2,772 producers, not a census of California
- —
regions with a maturity date
not one of the eight cultivars with a
Every acreage observation
Reported by county — never by AVA
| crop year | county | bearing | non-bearing | of county |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Amador County | 2 | 0 | 0.07% |
| 2000 | Fresno County | 37 | 116 | 0.32% |
| 2000 | Monterey County | 8 | 0 | 0.02% |
| 2000 | Sonoma County | 4 | 9 | 0.02% |
| 2001 | Amador County | 2 | 0 | 0.07% |
| 2001 | Fresno County | 0 | 116 | 0.25% |
| 2001 | Monterey County | 8 | 0 | 0.02% |
| 2001 | Sonoma County | 4 | 5 | 0.02% |
Tonnage and price by district
Reported by crush district — never by county or AVA
loading crush report…
Brix at the crusher
Reported by crush district — never by county or AVA
loading must chemistry…