Martin Obenaus from Glaubendorf (“Locus Fidei”) in Weinviertel is a young passionate biodynamic winegrower. He loves working with his vineyards and the creatures around them. “Unchained” is his credo in all aspects. Farmed biodynamically, his vineyards shall once again turn into an ecosystem in which interventions become less and less necessary. Martin has taken this path which will be a never-ending one. The ecosystem changes every year but so do the people around it. Freedom, letting go and the breaking of "chains" are attitudes that are often associated with young people who are keen to experiment. Looking at agriculture and viticulture, we see that such attributes are rarely mentioned. After all, these cultural techniques are massively influenced by the human hand, whether it concerns vine training systems, the cultivation of soils, plant protection or, at the end vinification. Constraints or "chains" are all over the place, often aided and nurtured by a systematic treatment industry. Nature - which after all produces the fruit to be fermented - is constantly being steered in "desired" directions. Steering by man is often unavoidable, but should be done in harmony with a healthy environment and not in defiance of it. Today people like to optimize until "system" is the only thing that remains of “ecosystem”. No natural balance whatsoever. Obenaus lets natural medicine treat the symptoms caused by the previous "medicine". Comparing today's "modern" economy and working methods with the methods of our grandparents' generation, a difference becomes clearly visible. The latter did treat their resources with more respect and in a way that they would be preserved for the next generation. A clever farmer always thinks about the future. So how can a wine grower (in the literal, “farming” sense of the word) treat his vines, soils and nature in such a way that it can be "unchained" from too many manipulations and interventions? They can reduce those interventions, support the natural balance, and observe the annual cycles of nature instead of influencing them? "Should we not take a look back into the past in order to remain fit for the future?"- MO

Winemaker: Martin Obenaus

Winery Stats

Vineyard Size: Tough to say... Martin works with local farmers, not his own vineyards
Total Production: 70,000-100,000 bottles per year
Farming: Certified Organic & Biodynamic
Certification: Demeter Austria, AT-BIO-401
Grapes Planted (Red): Zweigelt, Roessler, Regent
Grapes Planted (White): Grüner-Veltliner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Roter-Veltliner, Grauburgunder

Winery Story

The decision to work biodynamically (in practice since 2012, in official conversion since 2018) was a logical consequence for Martin. For quite some years now he has been treating his vines and the soil with respect, evaluating and serving their individual needs thoroughly. This is why he is now able to harvest grapes that ripen earlier. We are not talking about a ripeness in the sense of alcohol degrees. The ripeness Martin cares about is one of ripe aromas, ripe texture of skins, seeds and tannins. Producing power and alcohol in today’s ever warmer vintages is truly no longer any art. The truly artful thing is to produce wines with a lot of taste but little alcohol! It’s all about harmony and balance! Animals are also of big help in Martin’s effort to restore an ecosystem that is as intact as possible. He relies on a flock of sheep that he lets graze in his vineyards. They manage to significantly improve the soil quality within a very short time. He plans to extend this method to most of his land in the upcoming years.

Philosophy

"My path towards interfering less, towards “unchaining” nature is filled with a lot of work. No pains, no gains. Luckily, I’m full of energy, an “activist” if you like – and an artisan. If you do your stuff yourself, you don’t have to buy it and you can also develop a personal connection to the piece. To give an example, I have helped to design the kettle for the teas I bring out in the vineyards. I use a “worm box” in which worms and bacteria convert vegetables into a highly effective compost earth. I blend this earth into my compost tea and spray my vineyards. I build my own “insect hotels” designed for harboring those indispensable little helpers. These hotels are then placed in suitable locations in the vineyards. Bio-diversity, flora and fauna – all of them are an important part of my philosophy and key to biodynamics."- MO

Something Random

Martin Obenaus is a passionate hunter. However, he is fully aware of the fact that hunting clearly is a human activity – and today only very few people hunt for food in order to survive. Similar to the winegrower, the hunter bares responsibility for his terroir, understood as the interaction of nature, climate, flora, fauna and man.

What's In the Box?

November 2023- Martin Obenaus

This month, Andrey is joined by St. Louis's sommelier star Alisha Blackwell-Calvert. They discuss the wines of Martin Obenaus, as well as the ideal wines for Thanksgiving and the new things going on in Austria that should be on your radar!

Wines tasted:

  • "Unchained" Roter-Veltliner MV
  • "MO-Rot" Red Blend 2020
  • "Unchained" Red Blend MV