Josef Umathum

Elisabeth and Johann Umathum founded this estate in 1958. In the 1970s, they started focusing more on wine, and since 1985, the farm has become a wine estate. Their younger son, Josef Umathum, initially studied civil engineering in Vienna but did not find this inspiring, so, to get away, he went to work in a Rheinhessen winery, then in Alsace and then Burgundy. He decided to take over at home and enrolled as a guest student to be able to attend lectures at viticultural college. The timing was crucial: he returned home to work the 1985 vintage just as the wine scandal broke. At the time, there were 6 hectares of vineyard, and 70% of production was sold in bulk. Umathum notes that the scandal resulted in structural changes, with many small wine estates giving up, so the Umathum family was able to trade arable land for great vineyards. Today, Umathum farms 43 hectares on either side of Lake Neusiedl. A big leap came in 2000 when he was able to buy historic sites on the west shore of the lake – which involved the painstaking restoration of drystone walls. Plantings are split into 25% Zweigelt, 20% Blaufränkisch and almost as much Sankt Laurent, followed by Pinot Gris, Hárslevelű, Traminer, Welschriesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Umathum was an early adopter of biodynamics and has since evolved his ideas. Sustainability and local awareness are key themes here. Umathum harvests wild herb seeds in the Lake Neusiedl National Park and then sows them in the vineyards where sheep graze. In turn, the sheep disperse more seeds via their woolly coats. Umathum has replaced organic /biodynamic certification with one for sustainability. All the ferments are started with a homemade pied de cuve. Umathum’s real talent lies in coaxing out elegance and aroma from all his red varieties. His red wines have an uncanny ability to age.

From 2022 Burgenland and Austria’s East – A Heaven for Unsung but Compelling Reds (Feb 2024) by Anne Krebiehl MW

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2020 Königlicher Wein

Color: White

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2019 Königlicher Wein

Color: White

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2022 Rosa

Color: Rosé

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2022 Gelber und Roter Traminer

Color: Red

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2021 Frauenkirchner Sank Laurent

Color: Red

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2021 Frauenkirchner Zweigelt

Color: Red

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2021 Grauer Burgunder vom Grauen Schiefer

Color: Red

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2020 Blaufränkisch

Color: Red

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2019 Pinot Noir Unter den Terrassen

Color: Red

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2019 Zweigelt Frauenkirchner Ried Hallebühl

Color: Red

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2018 Blaufränkisch Kirschgarten

Color: Red

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2017 Sankt Laurent Vom Stein

Color: Red

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2015 Blaufränkisch Ried Kirchberg

Color: Red

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