Franz Haas

Franz Haas was founded in 1880 in Alto Adige, the cool, Alpine wine region in Italy's far northeast. In a tradition that spans eight generations, every first-born son has carried the name Franz Haas, creating one of the wine world's most singular dynastic stories. Franz Haas VII, who championed high-altitude viticulture and transformed the estate into an internationally recognized producer, died in 2022 at the age of 68. According to The Wine Advocate, Franz Haas first brought the pristine mountain aromas and characteristics of Alto Adige wine to world attention.

• Founded 1880; eight consecutive generations all named Franz Haas
• Franz Haas VII died in 2022, aged 68, after decades championing high-altitude viticulture
• Wine labels created by renowned artist Riccardo Schweizer
• The Wine Advocate credits Franz Haas with bringing Alto Adige mountain wine to international attention

The estate's 60 hectares are spread across four municipalities: Montagna, Egna, Trodena, and Aldino. Elevations range dramatically from 220 to 1,150 meters, placing the highest plots among the loftiest vineyards in Europe. Soils shift across this altitudinal range, covering porphyry, clay, limestone, sand, and gravel. The climate is cool and Alpine, with wide diurnal temperature swings and four additional hours of sunshine per day compared to lower-lying regions. This combination drives the lean, mineral, angular character that defines Franz Haas wines.

• 60 hectares spanning 220 to 1,150 meters across four municipalities
• Soils include porphyry, clay, limestone, sand, and gravel
• Cool Alpine climate with wide diurnal swings and four extra hours of daily sunshine
• High-altitude conditions produce distinctive minerality and fresh acidity

Franz Haas cultivates an exceptionally wide range of varieties suited to Alpine conditions. Pinot Nero is the flagship, with the Pinot Nero Schweizer first produced in 1987 and released in 1990. The estate also grows Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Lagrein, Merlot, Müller-Thurgau, Moscato Giallo, Moscato Rosa, Kerner, Petit Manseng, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Schiava. The white blend Manna, named after founder Franz Haas VII's wife Maria Luisa Manna, was first released in 1995 and stands as one of the estate's signature wines.

• Flagship: Pinot Nero Schweizer, first vintage 1987, released 1990
• Manna white blend named after Maria Luisa Manna, first released 1995
• 15 varieties cultivated across the estate's diverse altitudinal range
• High-altitude viticulture pioneered from 2000 onwards

Franz Haas has consistently led the Italian wine industry in both viticultural and packaging innovation. The estate cultivates all vineyards eco-sustainably, using only organic substances. In 2018, Franz Haas became one of the first Italian wine producers to bottle its entire production under screwcap closure, a decision that underscored the estate's commitment to preserving the precise, fresh character of Alpine wines. The move to high-altitude viticulture, pioneered here from 2000, has since influenced practices across the broader Italian wine industry.

• Entire production bottled under screwcap from the 2018 vintage onwards
• Among the first Italian producers to adopt screwcap for full production
• All vineyards cultivated eco-sustainably using only organic substances
• High-altitude viticulture approach has influenced broader Italian industry practices