Zeichmann

Großmutschen, Burgenland, Austria

Zeichmann is a small, deeply personal farming and winemaking project run by Luka Zeichmann and his wife Charlotte in Burgenland. Based near Luka’s hometown of Unterpullendorf, the project reflects a deliberate shift toward a more focused and place-driven way of work and life.

Before starting Zeichmann, Luka was one of the three founders and the winemaker behind ‘Joiseph,’ where he worked from 2015 until 2023. While he remains close to his former partners, he chose to step away in order to concentrate on a smaller project of his own — one rooted in the landscapes and agricultural traditions of the specific area where he grew up and still lives.

Today, Luka and Charlotte farm around 1.5 hectares of vines across two nearby sites. The heart of the project is their mixed one-hectare vineyard called Gora, a particularly beautiful and biodiverse site where vines grow among wild plants, fruit trees, and natural vegetation. A further half hectare is located in a neighbouring village, and leased from friends. Across these parcels they work with varieties typical of the region as well as some less common plantings, including Pinot Blanc, Traminer, Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, Furmint, Welschriesling, and more.

Wine is central to the project, but it represents only one part of a broader, mixed agricultural approach. The couple also cares for more than two hundred fruit trees, producing a range of juices, ciders, vinegars, and schnapps from their harvests. Fermented drinks such as botanical kefir-based preparations are another small but growing part of their work. Alongside this, they cultivate a variety of herbs, flowers, and seasonal produce which are supplied to several restaurants in Vienna and beyond.

Everything is done on a small scale and largely by hand, with an emphasis on biodiversity and soil health across the property. Rather than separating vineyard work from other forms of farming, Charlotte and Luka treat the land as a single ecosystem where vines, fruit trees, plants, and people all play a role. Charlotte’s artwork adorns most of their labels and some of her incredible ceramic and porcelain pieces can be seen on the farm alongside various other forms of her beautiful creative expression.

The result is a project that feels deeply genuine and grounded. An expression of local agriculture shaped by careful farming, community, curiosity, and a strong connection to people and place.