Rare Gems from J.J. Prüm

Nick Jackson, MW | July 30, 2024

The sweet wines of the middle Mosel have been celebrated for centuries. Their combination of lightness, concentration and finesse remains unmatched elsewhere in the wine world. The sweetest and most complex of these wines is the Auslese. From its base in Wehlen, among some of Germany's greatest vineyard sites for sweet wines, the Prüm family has long been at the forefront of this noble wine style.

J.J. Prüm makes a conventional Auslese from late-harvested fruit, ensuring higher sugar levels, and fermented to a low alcohol degree (around 6%). Prüm's top Auslese category is the Gold Capsule, a designation indicating the use of botrytis-affected berries. These shrivelled berries not only concentrate the sugars in the grape, but also add a distinctive flavour and aroma profile, reminiscent of chamomile.

These are rare wines of remarkable beauty and grace, and some of the pinnacles of sweet wine.