Joh Jos Prum Tasting @ Cutler & Co - Tuesday 6th of July, 2010

Sitting down to a full blown wine tasting first thing in the morning (well 10.30am) may be a little daunting to some, but I can assure you that many of Melbourne's top Sommeliers, wine buyers and restaurateurs were salivating at the prospect of a JJ Prum extravaganza. This tasting was focusing on the 2008 vintage, with a few examples from 2004 and 1994 to give the attendees a reference point as to how the 2008s might age. On the surface, 2008 seems to be a classic and transparent vintage, where the wines should speak more of their terroir than in riper years such as 2007. These wines were delicious and should be enjoyed to the full, and not necessarily in moderation.


Now for those with no experience of the wines of JJ (in da house), then it might be time that you did. Undoubtedly one of the most important producers of Germany's Mosel region, the Rieslings here have proven over time to be some of the most pure and ageworthy examples of these delicious low alcohol treasures of the Mosel river. Once you have been seduced by these slender, yet racy and exciting wines, a trip to the Mosel to see the majestic vineyards is an absolute must.


You may even be lucky enough to get a chance to catch up with Katharina Prum in the salon, and the wines are not the only charming, sophisticated and highly respected things you will encounter. Katharina is considered by her peers to be one of the most exciting talents going around.



Below are my notes from the tasting with no scores, so you must read them to get a feel for how they presented on the day.


2008 Joh Jos Prum Riesling Kabinett
Austere green apple bouquet, with a touch of honeysuckle and Ginger; touch kero/mineral on the nose, with pronounced acidity and lowish levels of fruit concentration; certainly wakes you up when you taste, tad coarse on the finish; OK but not exciting.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett
Almost grassy in restraint, with a dominant green slight herbal edge to the fruit; incredibly acidic, with green fruit and coriander, driving the tightly wound mineral core; drying chalky finish; really needs time; how will the journey unfold is difficult to gauge, but longevity looks to be assured.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett
Floral and slightly talcy, pure green apple aromatic bouquet, with a strong mineral presence; the palate is accentuated by lemon, bath talc, a touch of musk and strong linear drive to conclude; very good.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
Struggling to get past the sulfide, but there is an underlying tension to the fruit on the bouquet; bit grubby on entry (from the sulfide), it cleans up with linear acidity and pure Mosel green apple fruit; will be complete, but needs more time than the others.

2004 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett
Thoroughly pristine and in the slot, while still completely unevolved, there is a lime juice and green apple purity, with coriander and Ginger providing depth; the depth of fruit is engaging and the acidity almost gentle beside the fruit; lovely.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Spatlese
Showing a bit of reduction, with some exotics layering the fruit, a tad grubby; palate is a little watery and lean, with the acid and sulfide dominating the palate; hard and minerally to conclude, despite the more generous level of sugar.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese
Restrained and pure fruited bouquet, with super fine and super fresh fruit, especially green apple and a touch of Ginger; beautiful poise on the palate, with exceptional purity and drive; a hint of oxidation gives an added element of texture, depth and complexity.

08 Joh Jos Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese
Quite an expressive bouquet, more on the mineral, earthy side than generosity of fruit; the palate reveals more of the story, with an almost pebbly minerallity driving the core of fruit, rather than the other way around; tight, taut and lemony to conclude.

08 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
Showing a little more reduction, the underlying purity is without question; lovely drive and truly nervous energy keeps you on your toes as the line and purity slowly unravel across the palate; the finish is almost dry as the acidity sucks up the fruit and leaves a lasting impression of salty minerallity; very long.

04 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese
Showing a little toasty development on the nose, with a little touch of dank fruit on show; the palate is better showing crisp acid, but the fruit is subdued and out of sorts; pulls up short too; NQR.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese
Slightly reductive, but lovely purity of expression with a touch of the exotic, providing a counterpoint to the purity and linear mineral drive; again like the other 08s the palate is taut and fine, but the extra level of sweetness, takes the fruit to a beautiful level; bell-like clarity to conclude.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
Restrained and pure bouquet, all green fruit and talcy complexity; super purity on the palate, but the level of sweetness is more akin to spatlese; almost dry and talcy to conclude, this needs time to flesh out to show the level of quality here.

2004 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
Again a touch dank on the nose, but the ripeness is intriguing, with a touch of cardamon, cut grass and baked green apple on display; the palate is super fresh and fine, but showing lovely generosity, and just enough development to truly engage; zesty, full of life and the raw energy in this wine is captivating.

1994 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese
Beautiful bouquet moving into nectarine, mandarine and spicy complexity; I love the palate, with tight fruit, and almost a little grip providing freshness and life on the conclusion; long, complex and perfectly balanced.

2008 Joh Jos Prum Goldkapsel Graacher Himmelreich Auslese
Hello lovely; a little reductive, but what a luscious and hedonistic array of aromas; ginger, anise, cardamon and baked apples, with a little fresh pastry thrown in for good measure; a meal on its own, and being so thickly textured yet light on its feet, it is no surprise the flavour profile builds with unfaltering certainty; absolutely stunning!!!

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