Umathum: serious wines from Austria’s Burgenland region
Website: https://www.umathum.at/en/
Umathum is based in the Burgenland region of Austria. They are located on the east side of Lake Neusiedlersee, but they also have vineyards on the hills. 20 years ago they bought some vineyards on the Leithaberg, from a count whose family established them back in 1214. Altogether they have some 30 hectares of vines, with 85% of these plantings being Zweigelt, St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch.
The Umathum family have been growing vines for generations, as part of a mixed farm. They sold the grapes to the cooperatives until the late 1970s. In 1985 Josef Umathum (pictured above) took over wine growing at the age of 25, and now the focus is firmly on wine here.
Farming is biodynamic without certification.
Winemaking is in large wooden casks, and Josef says he has 70 of them, enough to do 1.5 harvests. They invested in large-format oak back in the late 1980s and 1990s.
He’s working with Hárslevelű, which he describes by the local name of Lindenblätrigger. ‘It’s a variety for our area for the future,’ he says. ‘And it also has historical roots here.’
THE WINES
Umathum Welschriesling 2023 Burgenland, Austria
Bright, supple and delicate. Quite fine with nice citrus fruit drive and a hint of floral character. Textured and fine, and slightly salty on the finish. 93/100
Umathum Königlicher Wein Lindenblättriger 2021 Burgenland, Austria
11.5% alcohol. This is Hárslevelű, which was planted in 2005. It grows straight up, and is heat and drought resistant, and can be picked with low sugars. Bright, pure, crisp and mineral, showing some stony detail. Precise but with lots of flavour. 94/100
Umathum Grauburgunder 2022 Burgenland, Austria
A variety brought here by the monks in the Middle Ages. Gravel and sandy soils with plenty of wind, so there’s no botrytis. Made in large old casks. Textural and rich with some rose petal and table grape hints around textured pear fruit, with a spicy frill on the finish. 93/100
Umathum Rosa Rosé 2023 Burgenland, Austria
This is Zweigelt, Sankt Laurent and Blaufränkisch, with the juice left on the skins for one day. Lovely cherry fruit with some raspberry, and a subtle creamy edge, with nice pure, textured fruit. Supple, elegant and fine. 92/100
Umathum PIRO 2022 Burgenland, Austria
11.5% alcohol. This is made from six different resistant varieties (PIWIs). It’s juicy, fresh and textured with some grunt, too. Lovely dark fruits and a nice gravelly edge, with nice density. 90/100
Umathum Frauenkirchner Zweigelt 2022 Burgenland, Austria
12.5% alcohol. In large, old oak casks. Nice freshness here but also some depth. Rich and bold with sweet berry fruits and a bit of cherry. Almost lush, but then finishes fresh. 92/100
Umathum Sankt Laurent 2022 Burgenland, Austria
Made in large casks. Very fine and expressive with a slight wildness, too. Notes of sour cherry, spice and some olive, along with juicy tart cherries and plums, and then a lovely savoury, spicy dimension. 93/100
Umathum Blaufränksich 2021 Burgenland, Austria
12.5% alcohol. This comes from schist soils with some quartz on the Leithaberg. Fine and expressive with a savoury, mineral dimension as well as good acidity. Notes of plums and sour cherries, as well as raspberries and spice and gravel. 94/100
Umathum Unter den Terassen Pinot Noir 2021 Burgenland, Austria
Cold maceration with 10% whole bunch and 20% whole berries. Supple and restrained and elegant, with red cherries, some strawberries and nice texture. Has a sweet finish, and it’s quite mellow. 93/100
Umathum Kirschgarten Blaufränkisch 2017 Burgenland, Austria
100% schist. Textural, fine and mineral with a nice stony edge. Has sour cherries, raspberries and plums with lovely structure, evolving nicely with lots of layers. 94/100
