The nose comes out wilder than the wine actually is, a little stink and edge, but the palate calms it all down into something rounder and easier. Restrained tropics underneath, lollipop sweetness, a flash of rhubarb tang. Comfortable in the way bottles disappear between pours.
Franz Plays is what happens when ordering mistakes become happy accidents. They ordered Pinot Noir for their Frettner vineyard in 1999 but received half Pinot Blanc and 10% Pinot Gris instead. Rather than complain, they created this Pinot family reunion: Blanc and Gris skins ferment with direct-pressed Noir juice. The result sits somewhere between orange and rosé, with gentle tannins that grip without biting. It's got a slight natural fizz that makes you wonder if the wine is winking at you. Playful indeed. Easy going, simple and not demanding. Just take a glass and enjoy life regardless of hardships.
