TN: Vajra '89 Freisa

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
Yes, that is correct: I am discussing twenty-year-old freisa. To be exact:
G.D.Vajra 1989 Freisa Delle Langhe, Vina da Tavola

I forget who sold this -- Chambers? RWC? -- but I was persuaded to acquire a couple of bottles. The advice said to decant for 6 hrs prior to serving. OK, I was braising lamb shanks today, so I opened the wine and then started cooking.

The color is ruby red and very dark for 20-year-old wine. I checked that it wasn't corked (there was bottle funk) and let it be.

Comes 7p, I serve. The wine has an alluring aroma. It says "mountains and hills" and it could be mistaken for nebbiolo: cranberry, maybe a whiff of raspberry, and dirt.

The palate is funny, though: it's all treble and no bass. I usually find freisa to be very floral and sweet and strawberry-ish. But this is different: it starts out like a barolo -- red fruit and stones -- but then it gives neither the perfume nor the tar. I find myself yearning for an emmenthaler to provide the down-in-my-tongue flavor that I am missing.

It's still a very pretty wine, really. I just want its feet on the ground.

Interesting wine. I have one more bottle, so I can take this ride again.
 
Jeff,

I tried the 1999 GD Varja Freisa Kye last weekend in a line up of mostly Nebbiolo wines. It definitely stood out as being different from the Barolos and Barbarescos.

I thought the Varja Freisa was more violets to the Nebbiolo's roses. The structure of the wine was similar to the Nebbiolo, with plenty of acidity and tongue coating tannin. Initially there was some strawberry fruit but after an hour or so, the Varja became very alderwood smoky and seemed to close up except for the smoked aromas. I think the '99 was opened too soon and will improve with time, but overall I loved the wine.

Thank you for the note. Was it Crush that was selling the '89?
 
Well, old bottles are old bottles. Differences will be found.

Also, there is context. I personally think that it may not be the ideal wine for braised lamb. That sort of dish might in fact call for a wine with more gravitas. Just my opinion.
 
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