Meet David Freschi of Casa Freschi in Ashton in our Adelaide Hills. Our region has long been part of David’s story, a story that epitomises the diversity, sustainable focus and artisan trade that makes our Hills so special

With a background studying winemaking at Roseworthy, David went on a globe trot; spending time in the trade in California, Italy and New Zealand, where he accrued a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Working for some of the bigger players in the industry, David soon realised how he didn’t want to do things and instead sought to be the nurturing custodian of a piece of land, while managing everything from winemaking to business admin when Casa Freschi was born in 1998.

Having planted red varieties on his father’s land at Langhorne Creek, David looked to the Adelaide Hills to plant white varieties, searching for the highest slopes he could possibly find. Soon came his ‘Altezza’ vineyard, an ex-apple orchard with beautiful soil and wonderful slopes in Ashton, now also home to the Casa Freschi Cellar Door and Winery. Altezza is unique not only in its elevation, but also in its high density vines at 8000 vines per hectare.

David’s wines are not just single vineyard wines, but made from batches of fruit that each reflect a single block within the single vineyard. As he notes ‘Staying intimate with the parcels of fruit is important to me, and ensuring they are completely nurtured every step of the way. The grapes are harvested then wild fermented here on the vineyard, then into barrels in the cellar on the vineyard.’

It is important to him that the wines have ‘a trueness to them’. Truly estate grown, with what is made each year what the vineyard yields. Nothing more.

Visit Casa Freschi cellar door or look at staying at the point between his two sweeping blocks, the ‘Espira’ private eco-luxury single vineyard retreat.

No question it’s a pretty special way to experience a beautiful part of the world