News and Events

For the first time, we will be participating in Good Food and Wine Show on the East side of Australia.  Sydney on 21 - 23 June in the Margaret River Stands and at the VIP Pavilion.  Please come by our stand and taste some new releases in Sydney. 

David Moore author of Wine Behind the Label reviews UMAMU and gives us a Rosette in his 11th edition. '

❁ Umamu (Margaret River) www.umamuestate.com

This excellent small Margaret River property produces a range of first class reds and whites. One of the more interesting aspects of the estate is that a number of the wines are released with significant bottle age. The fruit is all sourced from the East-West facing estate vineyard which was first planted in 1978. 10 km to the south east of the Margaret River it provides grapes of increasing old vine complexity. Everything is done as naturally as possible to achieve the best results in the wines. Sauvignon Semillon is richly textured with a honeyed waxy character emerging with age, nicely balancing the citrus fruit. The varieties are vinified separately and a portion is barrel fermented. Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and zesty with expressive complex citrus rather than raw green fruits and has an edgy minerality. Chardonnay comes from close to 20 year old vineyards and has a restrained Burgundy quality with barrel fermentation in new and used oak. Sparkling Chardonnay is in a real Blanc de Blancs style with a rich citrus and bready quality from four and a half years on lees. The range of whites is completed by a cane cut Sauvignon Blanc. This is rich, sweet and honeyed but with a zesty fresh balance it weighs in at just around 10 % alcohol. Cabernet Merlot also has a little Cabernet Franc included and is supple and rounded with a fine balance of black fruits, plum and creamy oak. It gets 10 months in wood. Shiraz also impresses, with black fruits, spices, a hint of pepper and well judged oak in which the fermentation is completed. The Cabernet Franc is a really stylish example, one of the very finest. Supple, structured with 10 months in wood which you barely consider. A mix of red and black berry and cherry fruits are apparent with great length and intensity. Cabernet Sauvignon is among the leading examples from the region. There is an elegant and restrained cedar quality that many of Umamu’s near neighbours fail to achieve. It comes from vines planted in 1978 & 1982 and is aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak which is seamlessly handled. (DM)

Recommended Reds:

Cabernet Sauvignon ★★★★✩ £F

Cabernet Franc ★★★★ £E

Shiraz ★★★✩ £D

Cabernet Merlot ★★★✩ £E

Recommended Whites:

Sparkling Chardonnay ★★★★ £F

Chardonnay ★★★★ £E

Sauvignon Blanc ★★★★ £D

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ★★★ £C

Sauvignon Blanc Cane Cut ★★★✩ £D

This excellent small Margaret River Property produces a range of first class reds and whites. One of the most interesting aspects of the estate is that a number of the wines are released with significant age.  

Margaret River is celebrating 50 years in the making.  The first vineyard Vasse Felix was planted in 1967 in response to a 1966 research paper by University of Western Australia agronomist, Dr John Gladstones who identified the region as possessing optimum growing conditions for viticulture.

The Margaret River Wine Association is organising events in Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne over the next month to celebrate this anniversary.  We are very excited to be participating in these celebrations.  To be in a tasting with the top producers in Margaret River is a treat.  The tastings are ordered in terms of the year vines were first planted in each vineyard.  And from the list we are one of the oldest with first plantings in 1978, 39 years ago.  Isn’t that cool!  Please come and join us.

The Sydney tasting is on Thursday 7th September, 6-9pm, Simmer on the Bay, Shore 2/3 Walsh Bay, Hickson Road, Dawes Point, 50+ wines plus canapes.  Tickets here.  Tickets are $65.  Discount code for $15 off: UESYD.

Here is the list of 19 particating producers in Sydney in order of first vine plantings,

Vasse Felix 1967

Cape Mentelle 1970

Woodlands 1973

Clairault | Streicker Wines 1976

Xanadu Wines 1977

Voyager Estate 1978

UMAMU Estate 1978

McHenry Hohnen Vintners 1979

Pierro Vineyards 1980

Devils Lair 1980

Deep Woods Estate 1987

Credaro Wines 1988

Howard Park 1996

Thompson Estate 1997

Oates Ends 1998

Fraser Gallop Estate 1999

Coward & Black 2001

Hutton Wines Grower sourced

Flametree Wines Grower sourced 

The Singapore tasting is on Thursday 31st August 2017, 6-9pm, Equinox, 69 Floor Swissotel, 2 Stamford Road 178882.  Tickets here.

We are also participating in the Masterclass in each city which is open to the trade, with hope of linking with a potential distributor for each city.  Wish us luck…

We recently released our 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon at the Sunset Wine event in Scarborough beach on February 2017.  Stylistically we release our wines after they have had time to develop in the bottle, when they are ‘ready’. 

This lovely Sauvignon Blanc Semillon has received 94 points from James Halliday and most recently 4.5/5 stars from Winestate March April 2017 edition and has been described as "a prime example of the way the best of these blends – even where Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant partner – can age with intense grace."

Wine Selectors features this wine in their ‘The best Premium Aged Wines’ and writes, "offering incredible value, this aged line-up of 2016 highlights is a rare find. Most Australian wineries now sell their wines when they're young, so we really had to search to uncover these aged gems. [...] This includes a Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon from our friends at Umamu who specialise in crafting wines that mature gracefully."

Ray Jordan who gives 90 points writes: "A lot more complex than the standard version of this blend. Shows the normal fresh citrus grassy tropical characters, albeit in more subdued fashion, but the background of slightly smoky oak adds a new dimension. A beautifully precise and focused wine."

This blend drinks well on its own and it is also an incredibly versatile wine.  We find it pairs with all sorts of food styles and cuisines from seared fish to sashimi to a bowl of noodles.  Please do refer to our food wine pairing article.

Our 2010 comes from a long line of award winning Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

• Our first Semillon Sauvignon Blanc was a 2005 vintage and we had the pleasure of trying this from the museum stock recently.  It continues to be a delight.  Winestate awarded this a five star and included it in their Annual 2016 guide: "This wine is developing nicely and showing flinty notes on the peachy bouquet with a lovely soft fruity palate that has a combo of orange rind and buttered toast flavours."
• The 2006 was featured in Decanter Magazine UK as wine of the month in February 2010: "The two varieties have combined to produce a zesty but broad and full wine, with a leesy base and a waxy undercoat augmented by citrus fruit, smoke and grapefruit peel. Stylish stuff, with a fine structure and good freshness."
• The 2007 received a Top Gold from the Sydney International Wine Competition in 2013.  We were thrilled that the wine was listed at The Ledbury in London, UK’s top restaurant. 
• The 2008 received 95 points from James Halliday. 
• Wine & Viticulture Journal who noted that the two older vintages, our 2007 and 2008, in their tasting in 2013 delivered two of the best wines in the line up according to the tasting panelists. "I would assume those two wines have been made to age and they definitely show a lot more focus than some of the other wines in the tasting", wrote Richard Langford. 
• The 2009 received 92 points from Halliday. And Winestate gave three and a half stars.  "Lovely purity and finesse of toasty marmalade fruit with some smokiness, bottle age complexity and nice acidity."

UMAMU Is all about Balance & Contentment - one prong is about the reflection of our lives - it is good to sit here and reflect on the different vintages and our hardwork, to appreciate the various reviews and awards the wines have received.

Food. Wine. Music. Friends. The harmonious combination of the four, come alive at the Sunset Wine Event happening this 18^th & 19^th February at Scarborough Beach, Perth.

It is with great pleasure to announce that UMAMU will be taking part to share with you our beautifully crafted wines.  A special treat will be in store for those who come as we will be debuting our award winning, 2010 babies - UMAMU Sauvignon Blanc Semillon & UMAMU Mac’s Chardonnay.

“A prime example of the way the best of these blends - even where Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant partner - can age with intense grace.” - James Halliday

Rated with a high score of 94 points by none other than the highly acclaimed James Halliday; our Sauvignon Blanc Semillon comes beautifully coloured with tones of pale straw and light green hues. The Sauvignon Blanc Semillon gives a refreshing herbaceous and citrus aromas with every whiff and the lovely balanced mouthful will leave you wanting more.

Mac’s Chardonnay on the other hand is unlike the rest of the Chardonnays produced by UMAMU. This luscious bottle is especially unique and is close to our hearts. It is named after UMAMU’s patriarch, Mac in celebration and appreciation of his journey and love for Chardonnay which led him to Margaret River, over 30 years ago.  We debut this wine in the same month as Mac’s birthday with much love.

“The bouquet is good but does not prepare you for the intensity and purity of the palate, where white flesh stone fruit and grapefruit draw saliva from every corner of the mouth.” - James Halliday

Each bottle of this lovely Chardonnay contains grapes which have been hand picked in the early mornings of late February.  Whole bunched pressed and 100% barrel fermented with a combination of new and old French oak, Mac’s Chardonnay elegantly dances around the palate with its rich and succulent fruit flavours and nutty creamy texture.  Just like any ending of a great performance, Mac’s Chardonnay ends smoothly with a buttery lingering finish.

Come, enjoy and experience the fun with us at Booth #18, where you will be able to participate in our exquisite tastings and be one of the first to bring home our latest award-winning wines.  If you’re hesitant on purchasing and having to carry our elegant bottles of vino, fret not, as complimentary wine lockers are available throughout the day with every purchase made, leaving you with free hands for more glasses of wine to enjoy.Happening on the 18th and 19th of February, tickets for the Sunset Wine event can be pre-purchased for $28 from Eventbrite or at the gate for $33. Beginning at 2.30pm to 7.30pm both days, we will be joined by many fellow winemakers, brewers, restaurants, and musicians from across Australia.

We look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with you, so don’t miss out!