Martin Muthenthaler

The story

Organic On The Terraces

For years, people told Martin Muthenthaler that organic viticulture could not work on the Wachau's terraces. He continued toward it. In 2008 he stopped using herbicides, and the vineyard work stayed manual, including tillage. Green manure brought flowering plants and insects among the vines. The vineyards are now certified organic, although the certification does not appear on the bottle.

From the atlas

Martin Muthenthaler

Wachau grower working named Spitzer Graben plots. Wild yeast fermentation, lees ageing and older oak shape his dry Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.

At A Glance

The Producer

Before becoming an independent winegrower, Martin Muthenthaler drove a truck for the local cooperative. He now works vineyards spread across numerous plots in the Spitzer Graben. His cellar uses spontaneous fermentation, some skin contact and extended ageing on the lees, the yeast solids left after fermentation.

Across the range, Muthenthaler generally makes dry wines without botrytis. They have naturally moderate alcohol and undergo wild yeast fermentation. Older oak barrels are part of the cellar practice. They give the wines time in wood with less fresh wood flavour than new barrels.

Place

The farm is in Elsarn am Jauerling. The vineyards lie in the Wachau and are distributed among plots in the Spitzer Graben. Wachau appears as the appellation on the named wines. Spitzer Graben narrows the vineyard source to a specific part of the region.

The geographical language stays close to the plots. The wines are connected to Wachau, but the vineyard work takes place across separate named parcels rather than one undivided holding.

Soil And Site

Muthenthaler's named vineyard sources include Bruck, Schön, Viesslinger Stern and Brandstatt. Viesslinger Stern is a small elevated section of Bruck, placing a higher piece of ground within a larger vineyard name.

Elevation changes light and ripening conditions. A separate parcel name keeps that physical distinction visible when the wines are made and labelled.

Story

In 2006, Martin Muthenthaler decided to convert the family farm into a Heuriger, an Austrian wine tavern, and made his first wine. The decision brought his own vinification into a farm that had previously been connected to the local cooperative through his work there.

The wines now carry a different kind of farm expression: generally dry, fermented with wild yeast and made with extended lees contact. The cellar has moved from a first vinification to a settled practice of spontaneous fermentation, skin contact and older oak.

Vineyards And Cellar

Everything in the vineyard is done by hand, including tillage. Green manure fosters flowering plants and insects among the vines. Muthenthaler does not irrigate. He avoids botrytis affected fruit when it would be used to raise alcohol.

In the cellar, spontaneous fermentation allows ambient yeast to start the ferment. Some wines receive skin contact, and extended lees ageing can add roundness and savoury texture. Older oak barrels bring time in wood with a gentler wood flavour than new oak.

Wines

Glimmerschiefer 2021 is a Riesling matured in stainless steel for approximately nine months. Ried Schön 2022 is made entirely from Grüner Veltliner, vinified in large oak and aged on its lees for 12 months in 600 litre oak barrels.

Wachau Noricum 2017 sits alongside them as another named Wachau white. The named bottles place tank matured Riesling beside oak raised Grüner Veltliner. Different grapes and vessels give the range its shape.

In The Glass

Glimmerschiefer 2021 has a heady nose of green apple, lime, grapefruit, flowers and honey. The palate is medium dry, intensely juicy and energetic, with sweetness carried by bright fruit rather than heaviness.

Ried Schön 2022 brings creamy, exotic fruit, taut acidity and intense mineral character. Its palate is round, juicy, savoury, full bodied, lively and textural, finishing clear.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose Ried Schön 2022. It is made entirely from Grüner Veltliner and places the Schön vineyard name, large oak and lees ageing in one bottle. Glimmerschiefer offers the contrasting combination of Riesling and stainless steel. Ried Schön puts the more oak led side of Muthenthaler's cellar in front.

Anecdote

For years, people told Martin Muthenthaler that organic viticulture could not work on the Wachau's terraces. He continued toward it. In 2008 he stopped using herbicides, and the vineyard work stayed manual, including tillage. Green manure brought flowering plants and insects among the vines. The vineyards are now certified organic, although the certification does not appear on the bottle.

Final Word

Martin Muthenthaler works named Wachau plots in the Spitzer Graben with hand farming, wild yeast and long lees ageing. Riesling and Grüner Veltliner are made in different cellar vessels. Glimmerschiefer uses stainless steel, while Ried Schön uses large oak.

Sources

1. https://www.littlewine.io/winemaker-magazine/martin-muthenthaler 2. https://www.weinhalle.de/produzenten/muthenthaler-martin.html 3. https://vinova.dk/vin/martin-muthenthaler-gruner-veltliner-ried-schon-2022/ 4. https://www.vindirekt.fi/product/muthenthaler-riesling-glimmerschiefer