2022 Franz Haas Pinot Nero, Alto-Adige

This is a bright, fruit-forward pinot that has fresh plums, cherries and rose hips on the nose. It’s crunchy and medium-bodied on the palate. Excellent tension. Drink now. Screw cap.

92 points jamessuckling.com

Franz Haas Pinot Nero from Alto Adige is one of the region’s most admired red wines, a beautifully expressive and finely etched example of cool climate Pinot Noir grown high in the foothills of the Dolomites. Franz Haas has long been a pioneer in Alto Adige, championing high altitude vineyards and meticulous viticulture to capture purity, fragrance and tension. The estate farms parcels that reach up to eight hundred metres above sea level, some of the highest Pinot Nero vineyards in Italy. These steep slopes sit on a patchwork of porphyry, limestone, clay and sandy soils, each contributing finesse, spice, minerality and aromatic lift. The combination of warm Alpine days, cold nights and exceptional sites gives Haas’s Pinot Nero its brightness and remarkable delicacy.

Winemaking is gentle and precise. Grapes are hand picked, sorted carefully and fermented in stainless steel and small open top vats with a focus on preserving perfume and fine tannins. Ageing takes place in a mix of barriques and larger oak casks, most of them older, allowing the wine to gain structure and subtle sweetness without losing its mountain freshness. The Haas family has always believed Pinot Nero should speak softly but clearly, and the elegance of this wine reflects that philosophy.

In the glass it shows a translucent ruby colour. The nose is beautifully aromatic with wild strawberry, red cherry and raspberry at the forefront, supported by rose petals, pomegranate, hibiscus and a hint of spice from the Alpine air. As the wine breathes, notes of cranberry, tea leaf, crushed stone, subtle sandalwood and faint forest floor add depth without heaviness. It is unmistakably Pinot but with an Alpine lift that makes it feel vibrant and alive.

The palate is silky, pure and wonderfully balanced. Bright red fruits glide across the tongue with lively acidity and fine, lightly structured tannins. Flavours of cherry, strawberry compote, redcurrant and cranberry mingle with spice, mineral notes, a whisper of cocoa and delicate herbal tones. The finish is long, clean and quietly savoury with lingering red fruit brightness and a refined mineral echo. The style is elegant rather than powerful, making it one of the most food friendly Pinot Noirs from northern Italy. It can also age gracefully for eight to ten years, gaining more savoury nuance over time.

This wine pairs beautifully with mushroom risotto, roast duck, herb roasted chicken, speck or other cured Alpine meats, pork fillet, grilled salmon, truffle pasta, soft cheeses or earthy vegetarian dishes. Its freshness and subtlety make it incredibly versatile.