When you think about German wine, one name stands out: Joh. Jos. Prüm. This family-run winery has been making amazing white wines for over 100 years. Located in the beautiful Mosel Valley, this winery creates some of the world’s best Riesling wines. Let’s explore what makes this place so special.
The Story of a Family Winery
The Prüm family has been part of the wine world for a very long time. They have lived in the village of Wehlen since 1156. That’s almost 900 years! But the winery as we know it today started in 1911 when Johann Josef Prüm founded it.
In 1920, Johann Josef’s son Sebastian started working at the winery. Sebastian was very important to the winery’s success. He created the special style that makes these wines famous today. He worked during the 1930s and 1940s, building a strong reputation for quality.
When Sebastian died in 1969, his sons took over. Dr. Manfred Prüm and his brother Wolfgang became the new leaders. Today, Manfred works together with his daughter, Dr. Katharina Prüm. She joined the family business in 2003. This means the winery is now in its third and fourth generation of family management.
The Prüm family’s long history shows their deep love for winemaking. They have kept the same high standards for many decades. This dedication has made them one of Germany’s most respected wine producers.
Where the Magic Happens: The Mosel Valley
Joh. Jos. Prüm is located in Bernkastel-Wehlen, a small village in the Mosel wine region. The Mosel is one of Germany’s most famous wine areas. It sits in the western part of the country, near the borders with France and Luxembourg.
The Mosel Valley is special for several reasons. First, it has the Mosel River running through it. This river creates a beautiful landscape with steep hillsides perfect for growing grapes. Second, the climate here is cool, which is ideal for making fresh, crisp white wines.
The vineyards in the Mosel are some of the steepest in the world. Some slopes reach 70 degrees! This is steeper than many ski runs. Growing grapes on such steep hills is very hard work. Farmers cannot use machines, so everything must be done by hand.
Why are steep slopes good for wine? The angle helps the vines get more sunlight. The river below reflects extra light onto the grapes. This helps them ripen properly, even in this cool climate. The steepness also provides good drainage, which keeps the vines healthy.
The Special Soil: Slate
One of the most important things about Mosel wines is the soil. The ground here is full of slate rock. Slate is a type of stone that formed millions of years ago when this area was under the ocean.
The slate in the Mosel comes in different colors: blue, gray, and red. Each color gives the wine a slightly different taste. Blue slate creates wines that are fresh and crisp, like biting into a green apple. Gray slate makes softer, more delicate wines. Red slate, which has more clay, produces richer wines with more body.
Slate is perfect for growing grapes for several reasons. It drains water very well, which prevents the vines from getting too wet. It also holds heat from the sun during the day and releases it at night. This keeps the grapes warm even when the air gets cold. The minerals from the slate give the wines their special character – a clean, stony taste that wine lovers call “minerality.”
The Vineyards: Where Great Grapes Grow
Joh. Jos. Prüm owns about 14 hectares of vineyards. That’s roughly 35 acres, or about 20 soccer fields. These vineyards are spread across several famous sites in the Mosel Valley.
The most important vineyard is called Wehlener Sonnenuhr. “Sonnenuhr” means “sundial” in German. This vineyard got its name because in 1842, an ancestor of the Prüm family built a sundial in the vineyard. Workers could look at it to know what time it was. Today, you can still see this sundial among the vines.
Wehlener Sonnenuhr covers about 5 hectares of the winery’s land. The soil here is deep, weathered gray slate. The vineyard faces south-southwest, which means it gets lots of sunshine. The slope is very steep, up to 70 percent in some places. All of these factors create perfect conditions for growing Riesling grapes.
Other important vineyards owned by the winery include Graacher Himmelreich, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, and Bernkasteler Badstube. Each vineyard has its own character because of differences in soil, slope, and sun exposure. Wine experts can often taste the difference between wines from these different sites.
About 70 percent of the vines are “ungrafted.” This means they grow on their own roots, not grafted onto other rootstock. This is unusual and special because it allows the vines to express the true character of the soil.
Only Riesling: A Single-Grape Focus
Many wineries grow different types of grapes. But Joh. Jos. Prüm does something different – they only grow Riesling. Every single vine on their property is Riesling. This shows how much they believe in this grape variety.
Riesling is a white grape that makes wonderful wine. It grows well in cool climates like the Mosel. The grape has high acidity, which means the wine tastes fresh and lively. Riesling wines can be dry (not sweet) or sweet, but they always have a clean, crisp taste.
The Riesling from Joh. Jos. Prüm is known for several qualities. The wines are light in body but full of flavor. They have beautiful fruit aromas, often smelling like peaches, apples, and citrus fruits. They also have that special mineral taste from the slate soil.
Many of the vines are quite old, averaging 50 years or more. Old vines are valuable because they produce smaller amounts of grapes, but these grapes are more concentrated in flavor. This leads to more complex, interesting wines.
The Winemaking Process: Traditional Methods
At Joh. Jos. Prüm, they make wine using traditional methods. They believe in letting nature do most of the work. This means they don’t add a lot of chemicals or use too much modern technology.
One important part of their process is using natural yeast. When grapes are crushed, yeast turns the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol. Some winemakers add commercial yeast, but Prüm uses the wild yeast that lives naturally on the grapes and in the winery. This gives the wine more character and complexity.
The grapes are all picked by hand. Because the vineyards are so steep, there’s no other way to do it. Hand-picking also allows workers to select only the best grapes. They can leave behind grapes that aren’t ripe enough or that have problems.
The winery produces between 10,000 and 13,000 cases of wine each year, depending on the vintage. A case contains 12 bottles, so that’s about 120,000 to 156,000 bottles annually. This might sound like a lot, but it’s actually quite small compared to big commercial wineries. This smaller production helps maintain high quality.
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Understanding German Wine Labels
German wine labels can seem confusing at first, but they tell you a lot about what’s in the bottle. Joh. Jos. Prüm makes wines in different styles, and the label tells you which style you’re getting.
The German wine system uses terms called “Prädikat” to show how ripe the grapes were when picked. Here are the main categories, from least sweet to sweetest:
Kabinett – Made from grapes picked at normal ripeness. These wines are light, fresh, and only slightly sweet. They usually have lower alcohol (about 8-9%).
Spätlese – This means “late harvest.” The grapes are picked later than normal, so they’re riper and sweeter. These wines have more body and flavor than Kabinett.
Auslese – Made from specially selected bunches of very ripe grapes. These wines are richer and sweeter, with intense fruit flavors. Some grapes may be affected by noble rot, a special fungus that concentrates the sugars.
Beerenauslese – Made from individually selected grapes that are very ripe and often affected by noble rot. These are dessert wines with high sweetness and concentration.
Trockenbeerenauslese – The sweetest and rarest style. Made from grapes that have dried on the vine. These wines are extremely sweet, rich, and expensive.
Some bottles have a gold capsule (Goldkapsel or GK). These are extra special wines with higher quality or more concentration. The “long gold capsule” versions are even rarer and more prized by collectors.
Awards and Recognition
Over the years, Joh. Jos. Prüm has received many honors. These awards show that wine experts around the world recognize their quality.
In 1996, Dr. Manfred Prüm was named German Winemaker of the Year by the Gault Millau Guide to German Wines. This is one of the highest honors a German winemaker can receive.
In 2007, the winery won Collection of the Year, again from the Gault-Millau German Wine Guide. This award recognized the overall quality of all their wines that year.
The winery is a member of the VDP, which stands for Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter. This translates to “Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates.” The VDP is a group of about 200 of Germany’s best wineries. Membership is strict – only wineries that meet very high standards can join.
Wine critics regularly give high scores to Prüm wines. Famous wine expert Robert Parker often awards them 96 to 100 points out of 100. These are some of the highest scores a wine can receive. The wines are also praised by other experts like James Suckling, Stephen Brook, and Stuart Pigott.
What Makes These Wines Special?
So what exactly makes Joh. Jos. Prüm wines so good? Wine experts use several words to describe them:
Elegance – The wines are refined and delicate, never heavy or clumsy. They have a light, graceful quality that makes them easy to drink.
Balance – The sweetness, acidity, and fruit flavors work together perfectly. Nothing is too much or too little.
Precision – Every element is clear and focused. You can taste each flavor distinctly.
Longevity – These wines can age for many years, even decades. As they get older, they develop more complex flavors and aromas.
Purity – The wines taste clean and fresh. They clearly express the character of the grapes and the place where they were grown.
Wine writer Stuart Pigott wrote that the wines show “the Mosel’s vivacious aroma and racy elegance in its highest form.” Stephen Brook said they are “the epitome of filigree elegance: light in body but intense in flavor.”
Many wine collectors consider Prüm wines to be investments. Rare vintages can sell for very high prices at auctions. The wines are sought after by collectors around the world.
Visiting the Winery
The Mosel Valley is one of Germany’s most beautiful wine regions. If you visit, you can see the famous steep vineyards and the river winding through the valley. The village of Wehlen, where the winery is located, is charming and picturesque.
While visiting wineries in the Mosel, you can often see the hard work that goes into making these wines. During harvest season (usually September to November), you might see workers carefully picking grapes by hand on the steep slopes. It’s impressive and sometimes scary to watch people working on such steep hills.
The region is also great for tourists. You can take boat rides on the Mosel River, visit medieval castles, or walk through the vineyards. Many villages have wine festivals where you can taste local wines and enjoy German food.
The Future of Joh. Jos. Prüm
Today, the winery continues its tradition of excellence. Manfred Prüm and his daughter Katharina work together, combining experience with fresh ideas. Katharina represents the fourth generation of the family to make wine.
The winery maintains its traditional approach while also adapting to modern challenges. Climate change is affecting wine regions around the world, including the Mosel. Warmer temperatures mean grapes ripen differently than they did in the past. The winery must adjust to these changes while keeping the distinctive style that made them famous.
Sustainability is becoming more important in winemaking. Many wineries are looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. The steep slopes of the Mosel are already farmed mostly by hand, which is more natural than using heavy machinery. The winery continues to focus on natural winemaking methods.
The future looks bright for this historic winery. With strong leadership, exceptional vineyards, and a commitment to quality, Joh. Jos. Prüm will likely remain one of the world’s great wine producers for generations to come.
Why You Should Try These Wines
If you enjoy white wine, Riesling from Joh. Jos. Prüm is worth trying. These wines offer something special – a taste of history, tradition, and one of the world’s greatest wine regions.
Riesling is also very food-friendly. The high acidity and fruit flavors pair well with many dishes. Try a Kabinett with spicy Asian food, like Thai curry. The slight sweetness balances the heat. Spätlese goes well with pork or duck. The richer Auslese wines are perfect with cheese or as a dessert wine.
Even if you think you don’t like Riesling, these wines might change your mind. Many people remember only cheap, very sweet Rieslings from years ago. Good Mosel Riesling is completely different. It’s fresh, balanced, and sophisticated.
These wines also age beautifully. If you’re interested in collecting wine, a few bottles from a good vintage can develop amazing complexity over 10, 20, or even 30 years.
Conclusion
Joh. Jos. Prüm represents the best of German winemaking. For more than a century, this family has dedicated itself to making exceptional Riesling wines. Their commitment to quality, respect for tradition, and careful stewardship of their vineyards has earned them a place among the world’s great wine producers.
From the steep slate slopes of the Mosel to your glass, every bottle tells a story. It’s a story of hard work, passion, and the unique combination of soil, climate, and grape that makes this place special. Whether you’re a wine expert or just beginning to explore wine, discovering Joh. Jos. Prüm is a journey worth taking.
The next time you see a bottle with the Prüm name, you’ll know you’re looking at something special – a wine made with care, tradition, and excellence that spans generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where is Joh. Jos. Prüm located?
The winery is located in Bernkastel-Wehlen, a small village in the Mosel wine region of Germany. The Mosel is in the western part of Germany, near the borders with France and Luxembourg. The winery sits along the banks of the Mosel River.
2. What type of wine does Joh. Jos. Prüm make?
Joh. Jos. Prüm makes only one type of wine: Riesling. They grow 100% Riesling grapes in all their vineyards. They produce Riesling in different styles, from lighter Kabinett to very sweet Trockenbeerenauslese, but it’s always Riesling.
3. How long has the Prüm family been making wine?
The Prüm family has been in Wehlen since 1156, but the current winery was founded in 1911 by Johann Josef Prüm. Today, the winery is run by the third and fourth generations of the family – Dr. Manfred Prüm and his daughter Dr. Katharina Prüm.
4. Why are the vineyards so steep?
The steep slopes are natural features of the Mosel Valley. They’re good for wine because the angle allows the vines to get maximum sunlight, and the Mosel River reflects extra light onto the grapes. This helps the grapes ripen in the cool climate. However, it makes farming very difficult – everything must be done by hand.
5. What is special about the soil in these vineyards?
The soil is mainly slate, a type of rock that formed millions of years ago. Slate drains water well, holds heat from the sun, and gives the wines a special mineral taste. The slate comes in different colors (blue, gray, and red), and each type gives the wine slightly different characteristics.
6. What does “Wehlener Sonnenuhr” mean?
“Wehlener Sonnenuhr” means “Wehlen Sundial.” It’s the name of the winery’s most famous vineyard. In 1842, a Prüm ancestor built a sundial in this vineyard so workers could tell the time. The sundial is still there today, and wines from this vineyard are among the winery’s best.
7. Are Joh. Jos. Prüm wines sweet or dry?
The winery makes wines in different sweetness levels. Kabinett is only slightly sweet and quite light. Spätlese is medium-sweet. Auslese and higher categories are sweeter and richer. Most Prüm wines have some sweetness, balanced by high acidity, which keeps them fresh and not cloying.
8. How much wine does the winery produce each year?
The winery produces about 10,000 to 13,000 cases per year, depending on the vintage. This equals roughly 120,000 to 156,000 bottles annually. This is relatively small production, which helps maintain high quality.
9. Why are these wines so expensive?
Several factors make these wines costly. The steep vineyards require all hand labor, which is expensive. The vines produce small amounts of grapes, limiting production. The winery has an excellent reputation built over more than 100 years. The wines can age for decades and are sought after by collectors worldwide. Rare bottles can sell for very high prices at auctions.
10. Can I visit the winery?
The Mosel Valley is a beautiful tourist destination with many wineries open to visitors. While specific visiting arrangements for Joh. Jos. Prüm may require advance planning, the region itself welcomes wine tourists. You can explore the villages, see the steep vineyards, take river cruises, and taste wines from various producers throughout the valley.
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