Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Region

Wines

Joh Jos Prüm Estate

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

For centuries the Prüm family has called the village of Wehlen home. Their ancestors were living in or near Wehlen as early as the year 1156.

The Prüm estate already enjoyed a high reputation in the 19th century and it was also a family member, Jodocus Prüm, who constructed both of the famous Wehlener and Zeltinger Sonnenuhren (“sundials” - in order to give people a time orientation). The last head of this early Prüm estate was Matthias. After his death at the end of the 19th century, the early Prüm estate was distributed between Matthias’ seven children. His oldest son, Johann Josef (1873 - 1944), then founded the Joh.Jos. Prüm estate in 1911, acquired the vineyards from one of his brothers and paved the way for a successful development of this estate in the decades to come. After World War I, in 1920, because he was suffering from poor health, he brought his son Sebastian (born 1902) into the estate. Supported by his wife Katharina Erz, the daughter of an estate owner in Bernkastel, Sebastian Prüm-Erz set out to produce the very highest quality Riesling wines, and these later achieved phenomenal prices at the annual Trier auctions. His 1949 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese, for example, fetched 1,500 DM ($652) at the 1974 auction – an amazing price at that time, in worldwide comparison. Sebastian received may tributes, including the title of Ökonomierat (Economic Counselor) in 1967. Two years later, he died and since then, his son Dr. Manfred Prüm leads the estate and continues the legacy with his uncompromising dedication for highest quality.

The J.J. Prüm wines have a reputation for being very long-lived and Dr. Prüm suggests that even his Kabinett wines ideally be cellared for five years or more, Spätlesen and Auslesen of course longer. 20-years-old J.J.Prüm Kabinetts and Spätlesen are still vivid, and Auslesen remain fascinating for decades, not even to speak about Beerenauslesen (BA), Trockenbeerenauslesen (TBA) and Eisweine. However, Dr. Prüm acknowledges that also a very young Kabinett, Spätlese or Auslese can be extremely attractive – no complaint at all if such wines are savored with indulgence in their very youth already! Unlike his father, who preferred to drink Auslesen and Beerenauslesen mostly, Manfred is fascinated by the whole spectrum of Prädikate and enjoys it best to celebrate the progression, possibly with a few wine enthusiasts, starting with delicate, racy Kabinetts, continuing with slightly richer Spätlesen and then even fuller-bodied, yet elegant Auslesen, and – in the best case - finally climaxing in an aged BA, TBA or Eiswein.

The 55 acre estate consists of about 90% ungrafted, old vines. Holdings are in the best parts of the top Middle-Mosel sites: Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Bernkasteler Lay and Bernkasteler Badstube. Plantings of the estate are 100 % Riesling and on steeply sloping Devon schist soil.

Average annual production is about 15,000 cases. The harvest at J.J. Prüm is always extremely late. For example in 2007, the harvest was not finished before December. This allows the Riesling grapes in the cool Middle Mosel climate to be picked at ideal ripening conditions, the basis to produce wines of superb quality. Hence, the risk involved with such a late harvest is accepted.
Obviously the wines of J.J. Prüm have earned a special place in the ranks of the world's greatest wines.

The J.J. Prüm Estate is a member of the VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.