Biography
Franz Haas, or rather Franziskus Haas, is the sixth generation of his family, and since 1880 the male members of the family all bear the same name and the same passion for wine and the vine, and a certain meticulousness in their work. Haas has a cellar in Montagna, a small town in the province of Bolzano on the eastern side of the Adige river, just above Egna, and his vineyards (125 acres between proprietary parcels and other leased plots) are distributed among the those with the finest soil and exposure. Haas has passed a good part of his life travelling all over the world, visiting the most important zones and studying their vineyards, experimenting and seeking new solutions to his problems in the effort to continuously improve. Even though a certain international success has been achieved, he is certainly not resting on his laurels, but continues to study in order to improve – even marginally – in each and every vintage, because absolute quality is impossible to obtain but necessary to pursue with passion and commitment. His Holy Grail is Pinot Noir, a difficult grape to cultivate, which only occasionally, and then in the hands of the most able producers, is capable of giving outstanding results. With the stubbornness which is part of his character, Haas has managed to achieve results, in the Adige valley, which only a few succeed in obtaining in Burgundy. This is documented by his regular Pinot Noir, but above all by his selection, Schweizer, named after local artist Richard Schweizer. A lovely wine, a medium ruby red in color with the classic aromas of red fruit and berry fruit, and a sinuous body of great elegance. Along with this there are, in his line, a Lagrein, a classic varietal wine of the South Tyrol, and Istante, an equally classic Bordeaux blend (Cabernet and Merlot). There is also a range of varietal white wines – Pinot Grigio, Müller Thurgau, Pinot Bianco and Gewürztraminer – along with Manna, a homage to his wife Luisa Manna, which introduced the concept of cuvée to the Alto Adige, i.e. a blend of Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Trainer. A wine of character, structured and far more long-lived than most other northern Italian white wines. The range is completed by a most original and very spicy Moscato Rosa, produced from the dried berries of the grape of the same name.