Franz Haas Pinot Nero Schweizer 2021 Alto Adige 750ml

Franz Haas has a genuinely distinctive way of describing Pinot Nero within its own portfolio — calling it "the white among the reds," a nod to the variety's delicacy and finesse relative to the estate's bigger, bolder reds. Schweizer represents the top tier of that Pinot Nero program, a Selezione bottling sourced from carefully chosen vineyard sites whose specific microclimates have proven, over time, to be ideally suited to the variety. Those individual vineyards sit at altitudes ranging from 350 to 700 meters above sea level, spanning a genuinely varied mix of soil types — silt sitting just meters away from sand, limestone, and pebble in different plots — all planted at high density, 8,000 to 12,500 vines per hectare, a planting regime specifically chosen to concentrate quality in the resulting grapes.

Jeff Porter's review for Wine Enthusiast awarded 92 Points, finding "crushed red berries and fresh stems" meeting "herbal notes and the spice of whole peppercorns being cracked." He described the wine as "bright and vibrant," with "the palate" offering "a beautifully structured experience that's both lively and elegant" — "super tasty with a tart, savory finish that lingers," and recommended pairing it "with grilled lamb chops for a bold flavor match." Franz Haas's own tasting notes describe complementary character: "complex and stratified aromas of fruit, such as ripe berries and cherries, spicy notes of pepper and leather," with those same aromas and sensations "also reflected on the palate," the wine thrilling "for its captivating tannins, its elegance and subtlety, and for its harmonious texture and body, which give this wine a very long life."

For broader context on the house style across Franz Haas's Pinot Nero range, independent tasters have described the wines as showing "bright strawberry and red-cherry aromas, together with violets, ash and black pepper," "light-bodied with crisp acidity and a tight finish," while others note "aromas of dried strawberry, graphite and rust" developing into "medium body, ultra-fine tannins and a citrusy acidity," calling it, simply, "a mountain pinot." This is genuinely elegant, high-altitude Italian Pinot Noir — refined, food-friendly, and built with real structure for cellaring, from one of Alto Adige's most respected names in the variety.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Franz Haas is an estate based in Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige region, with a long-established reputation for elegant, high-altitude wines, particularly Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir). Schweizer is the estate's Selezione bottling within its Pinot Nero range, sourced from carefully selected vineyard plots chosen specifically for their favorable microclimates, at altitudes between 350 and 700 meters above sea level, across a genuinely varied mix of soil types including silt, sand, limestone, and pebble.

The vineyards are planted at high density — 8,000 to 12,500 vines per hectare — a deliberate choice intended to concentrate quality in the fruit. The 2021 vintage is aged approximately 3 years before release, bottled at 13.5% ABV.

Critics Reviews

Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast — 92 Points:
"Crushed red berries and fresh stems meet herbal notes and the spice of whole peppercorns being cracked. Bright and vibrant, the palate offers a beautifully structured experience that's both lively and elegant. Super tasty with a tart, savory finish that lingers. Pair with grilled lamb chops for a bold flavor match."

Franz Haas (official tasting notes, Schweizer):
"Its bouquet seduces with complex and stratified aromas of fruit, such as ripe berries and cherries, spicy notes of pepper and leather. These aromas and sensations are also reflected on the palate. In the mouth, the wine thrills for its captivating tannins, its elegance and subtlety, and for its harmonious texture and body, which give this wine a very long life."

Wine-Searcher (aggregated critic context, broader Pinot Nero range):
"Forthright style for an Alto Adige pinot noir, with bright strawberry and red-cherry aromas, together with violets, ash and black pepper. Light-bodied with crisp acidity and a tight finish." A separate note adds: "aromas of dried strawberry, graphite and rust follow through to a medium body, ultra-fine tannins and a citrusy acidity. It is long and linear. Lots of purple fruit and green tea character at the finish."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Crushed red berries and fresh stems lead, joined by herbal notes and the spice of freshly cracked whole peppercorns, alongside ripe cherry and a touch of leather.

Palate
Bright and vibrant, beautifully structured, both lively and elegant, with captivating tannins and a harmonious texture and body.

Finish
Tart and savory, lingering with genuine length — a hallmark of the Schweizer Selezione's real aging potential.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Grilled lamb chops (Jeff Porter's own recommendation)
• Game — pheasant, duck, wild rabbit
• Red meat
• Seasoned, aged cheeses