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The Mosel Valley is probably the most famous and arguably the most admired wine region of Germany. In its wider sense, it includes the adjacent Saar and Rüwer (hence Mosel-Saar-Rüwer), both tributaries of the Mosel River. However it is the Middle Mosel (Mittel Mosel), in particular between and including the towns of Bernkastel-Kues and Erden that the most brilliant wines tend to be produced. Bernkastel, Grach, Wehlen, and Zeltingen are some of the most famous wine towns here. All of the vineyards of J.J. Prüm are located within this prestigious strip.
History
- Johan Joseph Prüm (J.J. Prüm) founded the estate in 1911 after the Prüm family had lived in the town of Wehlen for more than 400 years. The estate is established following a split from his fathers' holdings sharing the Prüm name.
- Sebastian Prüm,J.J. Prüm's son took over in 1921. His interest in the production of Auslese, Beerenauslese & Trockenbeerenauslese pushed the estate's reputation through the 1930s & 1940s. Growing conditions are finally adequate to produce a Beerenauslese in the mid 1930s & then the long sought after Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) in 1937.
- This run of producing exceptional wines continued through the 1950s as international demand grew in the UK & USA for the estate's cuvees.
- Sebastian unexpectedly passed at 66 years, at the top of his game. His Son, Dr Manfred Prüm took over the running of the estate in 1969.
- Thanks to Dr Manfred,the estate grew to iconic status, not just because of the sublime vintages of 1971, 1976 & 1990, but for the style & elegance of the wines produced from the so-called "lesser vintages."
- Now under the reigns of Katharina Prüm, who has continued her father's philosophies for the past 25 years or so, the estate hasn’t had a bad vintage yet. Some of its TBA, ultra-sweet dessert wines, and “Golden Cap” Auslese (an equivalent of Auslese Reserve) can fetch thousands a bottle at auctions due to their rarity and exceptional quality.
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German Pradikatswein Wine Classifications
It would be almost impossible to talk about the wines of JJ Prüm without mentioning the German classification that indicates the ripeness level of the Riesling grapes used to make the wine.
Kabinet - This is the entry-level of Pradikatswein. Grapes are picked at full ripeness to make a style of wines that are at the lighter end of the German Riesling spectrum. The wines and are usually dry or off-dry in terms of sweetness level.
Spatlese (Late Harvest)- The next level up, Spatlese means 'late-harvest'. Grapes are picked approximately a week later than the Kabinet level. Typically richer and sweeter than Kabinet wines, Spatlese wines can also be fermented longer to produce dry wines with higher levels of alcohol.
Auslese (Select Harvest)- Moving along on the sweetness scale, Auslese wines are made from grapes that have been handpicked according to their ripeness and level of noble rot. The wines are usually sweet and unctuous with great development potential given time in the cellar.
Auslese (Select Harvest) Goldkapsel - While not strictly within the Pradikatswein Classifications, a producer may use a gold capsule or foil to denote a wine made with fruit that is of an even higher level of selection than the standard Auslese. Usually, this means an even sweeter and more concentrated wine with an element of Botrytis.
Auslese (Select Harvest) Lange Goldkapsel - Like the Goldkapsel, the Lange Goldkapsel is recognisable by an extended gold capsule or foil seal and denotes an even higher residual sugar level and degree of Botrytis. Even harder to find than Goldkapsels, these wines are only made in the very best of vintages and are similar in style and depth to that of Beerenauslese wines.
Beerenauslese (Select Berry Harvest)- At this level of the Pradikatswein Classification, single berries that are almost raisinated by noble rot are selected by hand. This makes these wines much rarer and even in good vintages may not be produced. The wines that are produced are rich, dessert-style wines that can be cellared long term.
Trockenbeerenauslese (Dried Select Berry Harvest) - Grapes are picked at similar levels as that of Beerenauslese but the berries are then dried on straw mats further concentrating the sugars and flavour/aroma compounds. These are the sweetest, richest and most decadent wines produced which rank among the best dessert-style wines in the world. Very rare and only produced with the very best of fruit, these wines often fetch incredibly high prices and can be cellared for decades.
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Viticulture & Vinification
From the unbelievably steep vineyards that adorn the slopes carved out by the Mosel River, the JJ Prüm Estate has holdings in arguably the best sites in the Mittlemosel. The vineyards around Zeltingen-Rachtig, Whelen, Graach, & Bernkastel, differ slightly in their soils but are all bound by the Devonian slate as a common factor which contributes greatly to the Prüm hallmark of racy acid and deft minerality.
The ethos among the vines at JJ Prüm is relatively simple, harvest late by hand with scrupulous berry and bunch selection to ensure fruit of only the highest quality makes it's way to the winery.
Simplicity reigns supreme again in the winery following traditional winemaking techniques and employing indigenous yeasts to carry out fermentation. Using stainless steel vessels exclusively for vinification, the freshness and purity of fruit is preserved to create these breath-taking wines.
Wehlener Sonnenuhr- The Estate owns five hectares of this majestic site. It offers perfect growing conditions for the Riesling grape with its deep, weather-beaten grey slate soil, good water support, extreme steepness of up to 70% gradient, and its optimal south-south-west exposure.
Zeltinger Sonnenuhr- The most Northern site, directly border Wehlener on its northern border. Similar in aspect and conditions to Wehlener but less topsoil which constitutes lower yields and denser characters from 60-70 yr old vines.
Graacher Himmelreich- Graacher Himmelreich directly borders the southern edge of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard. The wines from this site often challenge those from its more famous neighbour, especially in hot, dry years.Looking at the vineyard conditions, the hill faces slightly more westwards than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, i.e. it has a more south-west exposure, it is a little less steep and has deeper soils which act as excellent water reservoirs.
Bernkasteler Badstude - Bernkasteler Badstube is the last of the vineyard sites that can appear on a J.J. Prum label. This vineyard borders those of the Graacher Himmelreich on the latter’s southern edge. The Bernkasteler Badstube slopes are on a marginally shallower gradient, with deeper soils than the Graacher and Wehlener, while the western orientation allows the vines longer exposure to the afternoon sun.
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A - Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
B - Wehlener Sonnenuhr
C - Graacher Himmelreich
D - Bernkasteler Badstube & Bernkasteler Lay
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Joh. Jos. Prüm wines to look out for
Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
Style: Spatlese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 92+ Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2011 - 91+ Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
Style: Auslese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2016 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2006 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Style: Spatlese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2004 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2001 - 96 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Style: Auslese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2015 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2010 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2002 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Style: Auslese Goldkapsel
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2013 - 96 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2007 - 97 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2006 - 97+ Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Style: Auslese Lange Goldkapsel
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2018 - 98 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2017 - 99 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
1999 - 98 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Graacher Himmelreich
Style: Kabinett
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2016 - 91+ Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 92 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2011 - 91 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Graacher Himmelreich
Style: Spatlese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2015 - 92+ Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2009 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2007 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Graacher Himmelreich
Style: Auslese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2005 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Graacher Himmelreich
Style: Auslese Golkapsel
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 96 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2009 - 95 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Bernkasteler Badstube
Style: Spatlese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 91 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2012 - 90 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Bernkasteler Badstube
Style: Auslese
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintages:
2017 - 91 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2015 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
2013 - 93 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
Bernkasteler Lay
Style: Auslese Lange Goldkapsel
Variety: Riesling
Notable Vintage (only made once):
2017 - 94 Points, Mosel Fine Wines
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