The organic G.D. Vajra 2020 Langhe Freisa Kyè is like a postcard from Piedmont; it offers an authentic window onto the region and is a wine that most certainly could not be repeated in any other part of the world. Freisa is a tart, naturally spicy grape that displays dustings of powdery cinnamon and crushed white pepper. The grape is initially shy, and winemaking has it see two years in oak casks to help it integrate and flesh out. However, Freisa is another local variety that does well in an ever-warming climate. For example, this hot-vintage expression has an extra layer of complexity with dried herb or mint at the back.

The 2019 Langhe Freisa Kyè saw fruit harvested on the early side, and 5% whole clusters were used during fermentation to give the wine more depth and character. This vintage also saw a year of bottle age before its commercial release in order to give it more time to develop. "Freisa shares the character of the Piemontesi people," says Isidoro Vaira: "It needs time to come out." This wine offers a hint of dried herb or rosemary essence with dark fruit and spice. This vintage brought out the minty side of the variety.

The wine name asks “who is it?” and refers to the difficultly in identifying the grape used to make this wine. A pure expression of Freisa, one of the most beloved local indigenous varieties, this wine opens to dark concentration with shiny garnet highlights. The 2018 Langhe Freisa Kyè shows baked cherry and barbecue smoke. It ages in large oak casks for 26 months.

This wine has developed its own cult following over the years. Named after a local dialectal expression for "who is it," the 2017 Langhe Freisa Kyè is super intense in this hot vintage. The wine draws upon those vintage conditions to present an extra dark appearance, with aromas of Morello cherry, dried blackberry and spice. I always get a subtle note of black pepper with the popular Freisa grape. The mouthfeel is rich, and you can really sink your teeth into this cheerful and unusual red from Piedmont. 6,000 bottles are hitting the market now.

I have a thing for the Freisa grape and am very excited to be in front of this sample. The 2016 Langhe Freisa Kyè is named after a colloquial phasing of the question "who is it?" (or "chi è?" in Italian), underlining some of the mystery and allure surrounding this native grape. Freisa is a local favorite, but it is relatively unknown outside of Piedmont. This expression from the fine team at G.D. Vajra opens to a nicely saturated color with dark ruby or garnet highlights. The bouquet offers black cherry, dark fruit and accents of spice or white pepper. Primary fruit is the protagonist and so is that pretty freshness. Fruit comes from vineyards planted closest to the winery at the lower part of Bricco delle Viole. The wine is fermented in stainless steel (to lock in those fresh berry aromas) and is aged in large Slavonian oak casks for 26 months. A mere 6,000 bottles were released in May 2020.