Freisa d'Asti is a DOC established in 1972 for the production of Freisa in the hills surrounding Asti. It is fairly rare, with only 600 acres under vine and 50,000 cases in annual production. It is occasionally seen as a still wine, but more often bottled as a sparkling spumante made in the Charmat method.

Freisa is an unusual Italian red grown almost exclusively in Piedmont. It produces a pale, high acid, tannic, grapey red that is often bottled with a bit of residual sweetness to balance the ferocious acidity. It is intended to be a summer quaffer. The bittersweet (literally) result tends to be a polarizing, love-or-hate specialty. (Wine/Appellations)