David Freschi is a quality-obsessed and innovative vigneron who currently produces single-vineyard wines from three vineyards. The ‘Altezza Vineyard’ and ‘Aesctun Vineyard’ in Ashton, Adelaide Hills, and the ‘Profondo Vineyard’ in Langhorne Creek.

On establishing Casa Freschi in 1998, he became the custodian of his family’s 2.5 Ha Langhorne Creek vineyard planted in 1972 to Cabernet, Syrah and Malbec, and close planted 2 Ha of Nebbiolo on the remaining bare land in 1999. The success of his red wines enabled him to pursue a premium white wine vineyard site in Ashton, Adelaide Hills in 2003, when he purchased and close planted 3.2Ha Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. His Pinot Noir comes from his Ashton neighbour’s vineyard which David has managed and converted to organic farming since 2020.

After experiencing various winemaking roles around the world, including in Australia, California, New Zealand and Italy, his philosophy is principally inspired by his Italian heritage and experience and knowledge gained whilst working there; one that has a deep love & respect for nature and the land, and sensibility to its rhythms, energy and character. His principle aim is to capture this in his bottlings.

All of his wines, since the inaugural 1999, are grown in harmony with nature. The vineyards are hand pruned and hand harvested and managed organically. Minimal tillage is practised and, when necessary, are nourished with composts/organic manure/mulch and protected with organic fungicides. The wines are minimally handled, gravity racked and produced without fining or filtration or additives, except a small addition of sulphur dioxide at bottling. All wines are made and bottled at the Altezza vineyard.

As a result, the wines very much capture the energy and character of each terroir. The Adelaide Hills wines, from the highest, steepest, coolest and rockiest slopes of the Mt Lofty ranges, display exquisite purity of fruit, minerality, texture, depth and length of flavour. The Langhorne Creek red wines from the cool, maritime, limestone plains display red & black fruits with floral high notes and earthy bass notes. They are rich, elegant and deeply flavoured with wonderful fruit sweetness, a saline minerality and full, fine savoury tannins.