JJ Prum

The 2023 Prums are here! This is a pre-sale on a direct import of the 2023 vintage along with a few library releases Rieslings back to 2003 from one of the world's finest--JJ Prum. If you don't know the wines of JJ Prum, these are some of the most heralded German rieslings in the world. Just look at Stuart Pigott's article "Top 10 Reasons Every Wine Lover Should Know About JJ Prum".

This comprehensive offer includes wines from each of Prum's sites. Wehlener Sonnenhur, Zeltinger Sonnenhur, Graacher Himmelreich, Bernkastteler Badstube, and Bernkastteler Lay (an extraordinary steep site comprised of mostrly blue slate). We also include from these vineyards all the pradikatts made--kabinett, spatlese, and auslese, and in some cases the Goldkapsel bottlings. The Goldcapsule (GK) Auslesen are wines with a higher percentage of botrytis-affected grapes and sugar levels that approach Beerenauslese levels.

You will find a few library release bottles from 2006 and 2003. You will find 375s, 750s, and magnums of many wines. Please be aware that magnums ordered along with other size bottles may incur a seperate shipping charge in some cases if we can not package it with the smaller bottles.

Wehlener Sonnenuhr
The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard has become intrinsically attached to the name of Joh. Jos. Prüm. 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. Wehlener Sonnenuhr is named after the sundial erected in the vineyard in 1842 by Jodocus Prüm, an ancestor of J.J. Prüm, to give the workers a better time orientation. The wines of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr possess excellent structure, show beautiful, ripe aromas and flavors (typically stone fruits), a fine minerality, and great depth and length. After having been aged for some years, the harmony, finesse and expression of these wines is unique. Stuart Pigott writes “Joh Jos Prüm’s Sonnenuhrs are classic examples of the way in which the best Mosel wine’s natural sweetness magnifies, rather than obscures, their character.”

Graacher Himmelreich
Graacher Himmelreich directly borders the southern edge of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard. The wines from this site often rival the quality of those from its more famous neighbor, especially in hot, dry years. Graacher wines attract with their racy acidity, a pronounced minerality (that reminds of crushed rock) and slightly different fruit aromas and flavors (more citrus). Often, the wines become accessible slightly earlier than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and are deliciously mouth-watering when young. The vineyard has a south- west exposure and it is a little less steep with deeper soils that act as excellent water reservoirs.

Zeltinger Sonnenuhr
The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard is the most northernly site and directly borders the northern edge of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr. Both sites are named after the sundials (Sonnenuhr) that sit amongst the vines and that are clearly visible from the other side of the river. The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr has a similar sun exposition and steepness to its neighbor, but there is less top soil and the roots hit on the firm slate rock almost immediately. This means the vines have more trouble finding water which affects yields and the characteristics of the vines. Prüm’s parcel comes from a patch of 60-70 year old vines around the sundial. The wines can be very complex, with earthy, rocky and smoky notes. They can have a certain dense quality and their acidity often is lower. They perhaps do not achieve the same finesse as the wines from the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, but they are probably more complex and can deliver wonderful, mouth-filling pleasure nonetheless.

Bernkasteler Badstube
The Bernkasteler Badstube vineyard borders those of the Graacher Himmelreich on the latter’s southern edge. The 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. The Badstube typically produces a wonderfully floral, delicate and mineral wine. Overall, the wines are usually slightly more delicate in structure and weight when compared with the wines of Graacher or Wehlener, but they are wonderfully racy and fine examples of the middle Mosel.

Bernkasteler Lay
Bernkasteler Lay (pronounced LIE — an old dialect word for “slate”) lies to the north of the village of Bernkastel. This west by southwest facing vineyard is on a 50% grade and consists, as the name suggests, of medium-deep, stony, blue-weathered slate which is heavier and deeper than in the neighboring villages of Wehlen and Graach. This extraordinary vineyard produces richly textured, assertive wines.

Important Details: In some cases quantities are small, and nothing is confirmed until final orders arrive. So consider any orders as requests initially. This is standard practice with Direct Import offers. In the off chance certain bottles can not be fulfilled, we will 100% refund.

All wines are due to arrive in November. Deadline for orders is tomorrow, Wednesday, 10/6! So get shopping!

We are offering an automatic discount of 10% off 6 bottles and 15% 12 or more bottles. Discounts automatically applied at checkout.

Shipping and pickup available, as always. Any questions, please email or call us at 607-319-0500