In the glass
Aroma: concentrated red and black berries, tobacco leaf, fine spice, earthy minerality
Palate: dense fruit, structured tannins, balanced acidity, very long savoury finish
Franz Haas's top-tier Pinot Nero from the Ponkler vineyard at high altitude. Sits above Schweizer in the cellar's hierarchy; small allocations, structured for long cellaring.
What it pairs with
-
Roast partridge with mushroom sauce
Ponkler's concentrated red fruit and earthy minerality flatter game bird; structured tannins frame the sauce. -
Wild boar pappardelle
Game ragu meets Pinot Nero's elegance; the wine's tobacco notes echo the gamey ragu. -
Aged Asiago Stravecchio with truffle honey
Mature alpine cheese with truffle finds a peer in the wine's earthy depth and structured palate.
History
Franz Haas developed Ponkler in the late 2000s as the cellar's top-tier Pinot Nero, sourced from a specific high-altitude vineyard. The wine sits above Schweizer in the cellar's hierarchy and is released in small allocations.
- 2008 — First Ponkler Pinot Nero vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Franz Haas
- Grapes
- Pinot Nero (100%)
- Classification
- DOC Alto Adige Pinot Nero
- Oak
- Approximately eighteen months in French oak barriques (high proportion of new oak)
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 65 to 95 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2008
Frequently asked about Ponkler Pinot Nero
What does Ponkler taste like?
Concentrated red and black berries, tobacco leaf, fine spice and earthy minerality on the nose; dense fruit, structured tannins, balanced acidity and a very long savoury finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity.
When should I drink Ponkler?
Drink between 8 and 25 years from vintage. The wine's structure and concentration reward long cellaring; young vintages benefit from extensive decanting.
How is Ponkler different from Schweizer?
Schweizer is Franz Haas's flagship Pinot Nero from broader Mazzon-zone sourcing; Ponkler is the cellar's top-tier expression from a single high-altitude vineyard with more concentration, extended new-oak ageing and longer cellaring potential.