I’ve been following Josef Umathum’s career for a while now, and by this point, it seems safe to say that I’m very likely to enjoy just about any wine he releases—even his entry-level bottlings are showstoppers. Umathum is best-known for red wines, which make up about 85% of his lineup, drawing primarily on traditional Austrian varieties like Rotberger and Blaufränkisch. But Umathum is also producing some very compelling, thirst-quenching whites that must be experienced. Most of these also trend toward the local classics like Welschriesling, Roter Traminer, Gelber Traminer, and Lindenblättriger. Today’s, however, is made from one of the most classic white varieties on earth: Sauvignon Blanc. 

Of course, in Umathum’s hands, it’s not your typical rendition of the grape: Yes, there’s ripe, fleshy tropical fruit and wild green herbs here, but there’s also some very appealing smoky minerality that makes this even more racy, exotic, and vividly expressive. It quite simply offers all the refreshment I want in a summer wine without sacrificing a drop of nuance or complexity. When you consider the value compared with some of the great Sauvignon Blancs of the Loire Valley, you’ll realize you’re getting something really special here for the money. 

Throughout Josef Umathum’s 60 hectares of vines on prime Burgenland real estate, the soil composition is remarkably diverse, allowing him to select the ideal variety to plant on each parcel. The Sauvignon Blanc comes from four estate plots set on schist and gravel. Along with the rest of the estate’s range, today’s wine is farmed organically and in accordance with biodynamic principles—as a young winemaker entering the family business in the 1980s, Umathum had been awed by the ideas of Rudolf Steiner, which led him to begin viewing wine on a holistic level, as something greater than just agriculture or winemaking. The grapes are hand-picked to ensure that only healthy, undamaged fruit is brought to the cellar and the juice ferments/ages in stainless steel to preserve Sauvignon Blanc’s energetic varietal character. 

The purity of fruit in today’s wine is so delightful, and a testament to the difference that can be achieved in winemaking through painstakingly careful handling of grapes. The lush flavors are outgoing without being overblown, leading with a burst of kiwi, passionfruit, green mango, Kaffir lime, and crisp yellow apple. Subsequent sniffs reveal fresh tarragon and coriander accompanied by crushed rocks, struck flint, and smoke. A wave of lean, live-wire acidity crests on the mid-palate, leaving you wanting another sip, followed by another glass. Once you pop the glass capsule on today’s wine (just pry it off with your hand), pour it into all-purpose white stems and give it about 5-10 minutes to allow the reduction to blow off. Serve refreshingly chilled at 45 degrees paired with a cold seafood salad or ceviche, dressed in zesty citrus and plenty of fresh green herbs.