The Adelaide Hills has been electrified with activity recently, with boutique cellar doors popping up here there and everywhere. Alongside the Wotton Family Wines cellar door, which opened in Uraidla this month, another intimate cellar door has opened its doors since Friday 10 June.
Casa Freschi is a popular SA-based wine label that’s appeared on the shelves of fine wine restaurants and independent retail stores for more than 20 years. Owner of Casa Freschi, David Freschi, has now opened a dedicated venue on an abandoned apple orchard.
“I’m originally from Langhorne Creek and became the custodian of my family’s vineyard in 1998. I was working for a wine making company in New Zealand but I always wanted to become an artisan winemaker,” said David.
David’s father, prior to his passing, had been known to produce wine himself for family and friends. After extensive experience in wine making internationally, David knew the vineyard had potential.
“After my experience in Italy, I discovered the Nebbiolo grape. It’s much more well known now, but I took a risk [back in the early 2000s] and planted the remaining bare land with it,” he said.
“I had immediate success in my red wine and looked for land to grow a premium white wine in the Adelaide Hills, in search for a cooler climate.”
Casa Freschi’s white varieties were planted in 2004 on an abandoned apple orchard – a prime location for planting.
“An apple orchard has great irrigation and rocky soils – perfect for producing high quality grapes,” said David.
While only a few apple trees still reside on the property, 100-year-old chestnut and walnut trees have been preserved and line the new cellar door.
The new cellar door is a traditional vineyard iron shed, converted using only recycled materials. David says the “intimate” and “immersive” space to learn about Casa Freschi’s 12 varieties of wine.
“I wanted to have a spiritual home for people to connect with and showcase what we do. People become very connected when they see the vineyard,” said David.
“I’ve got a little wine making operation at the cellar door too, so it’s an immersive place to understand what we do. We’re in a really beautiful place and we wanted to give people the opportunity to enjoy that.”
David continued to say that the intimate tasting room has quickly become a local favourite.
“Half the people who’ve been coming here have been local,” he said.
“It’s relatively small and a nice space for people to enjoy the wines and a little bit of food. We also have wine tasting flights, where guests will get to try five wines, hear where and how they’re grown and understand the philosophy behind them. Or you can chill out and have a glass or a bottle!”
Casa Freschi is open from 12:00pm – 5:00pm Friday to Sunday. The warm, cosy venue also have a fire pit on site for those chilly winter nights.
To find out more, follow Casa Freschi online, on Facebook, or on Instagram.
Casa Freschi is located at the Altezza Vineyard, 159 Ridge Road, Ashton 5137.
More News
