Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm

This is one of the all-time great estates of Germany. It was established just before the First World War in 1911 by Sebastian Prüm. His great-granddaughter, Katharina, now runs the estate, although her father, Manfred, is still very much on the scene. Based on the riverbank of the Middle Mosel opposite the mighty and imposing vineyard of Sonnenuhr that dominates the landscape, Prüm has been producing definitive, long-lasting Rieslings for decades.

They have four main vineyards (as well as some less well-known sites), although it is the Sonnenuhr in Wehlen for which they are best known. Their other top plots are bits of the Sonnenuhr in Zeltingen, Badstube in Bernkastel and Himmelreich in Graach. There are a lot of old vines at Prüm, and harvests tend to be quite late. Vinification is fairly traditional here, and the wines are not rushed.

In recent vintages, there has been a dearth of Kabinett wines, and such has been the natural richness of the grapes achieved by these great sites. We are awaiting the release of the new vintage of the JJ Kabinett, which is a blend of grapes from different vineyards. This is a wine designed to drink whilst the single vineyard versions are maturing slowly. The balance of these wines makes them very food-friendly and versatile in that respect, working fantastically well with salty dishes. The sweet wines are just legendary and will age for as long as you need them to.