Joh. Jos. Prum

Joh. Jos. Prüm estate (often just called “J.J.”) is situated in the Middle Mosel valley, around the 50th latitude, i.e., in one of the most northern wine-growing areas of the world. The consequence is a highly long vegetation period until November, sometimes even December, with relatively cool climate conditions that give the Riesling grape time enough to develop all those typical fruity, floral, and herbal aromas and flavors, keep a relatively high acidity and absorb the fine minerals from the slate soils. To balance this acidity, the natural grape sugar is typically not fermented into alcohol, but a certain amount of residual sugar is kept. This method of vinification, together with the cool climate conditions (with the consequence of a lower natural sugar content), also results in a rather low alcohol content. Today, the estate encompasses around 22 hectares, and their vineyards are planted with 100 % Riesling - mostly ungrafted, old vines. The vineyards are situated in the best parts of the top Middle-Mosel sites: Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Bernkasteler Badstube. J.J.Prüm estate aims to express the soil and climate conditions in its wines as authentic as possible, every vintage. Ideal harvest time, as little treatment in the cellar as possible, use of wild yeast, and a rather late bottling characterize their wines, which need their time to open up but then show a unique interplay between fruitiness, minerality, and acidity and are rather low in alcohol. J.J.Prüm’s wines are famous for their aging ability, long-lasting youth and freshness, and expressive, complex character.