Summer Wolff GioGio Fresia 2023

The Freisa grapes (from a 30-year-old vineyard) are harvested by hand and destemmed with 20% direct pressed, and blended into the must, the remainder of which stays on skins for 7-9 days. Ambient, indigenous yeast ferment takes place in cement tanks with ageing also in cement tanks of varying sizes. The final wine is coarsely filtered before bottling, is not fined at all and minimal sulphites added prior to bottling.

GiGio has a beautiful bouquet of violets on the nose and other red floral and fruity notes. The tannin, softened by the addition of direct press juice, is balanced and not gripping. Medium body and moderate alcohol round out the finish creating a very elegant, fresh, and light but serious red wine. The wine is named after Summer’s first son, Gioacchino, who at home she calls GioGio.

The small-berried blue-black “Freisa piccolo” is a speciality of Monferrato. Its high tannins and natural astringency make it a polarising grape, but Summer has made a wine that retains some of its rough character whilst softening some of the edges!