JJ Prum

Few estates in the world can claim to have maintained the highest quality standards uninterrupted for half a century and more.  Joh Jos Prüm, the most famous of the many Mosel wine estates bearing the Prüm name, is one estate that can.  Since the early 1920’s its wines have been among Germany’s best, Rieslings with the Mosel’s vivacious aroma and racy elegance in its highest form. STUART PIGOTTS

The wines, whether a modest Kabinett or an opulent Beerenauslese, are the epitome of filigree elegance: light in body but intense in flavour, exquisitely balanced and precisely tuned, and capable of the most extra-ordinary longevity.  With the rise of so many excellent winemakers in the region, one might have supposed that J.J. Prüm, with its profound conservatism, might have been overtaken and left behind. Not a bit of it. The Estate remains where it has been for decades: at the summit. STEPHEN BROOKS, The Wines of Germany

It is always difficult to put in writing just how highly I regard the wines of J.J Prum. I have said many, many times that they are my favourite producer of white wine anywhere in the world. I know, that is a huge call and honestly I can see why some people would suggest that a claim like that makes no sense for a wine guy to make. Here is the thing, wines are special to people for various reasons, the quality must be there of course. You must like the style. The variety/varieties come in to play. Lastly having some emotional connection to the wines is what takes a great producer from the class of “I love these wines” to “these are my favourite producer of X”.

Well Prum ticks every box for me, I have been drinking them for a couple of decades now and I used to save my pennies as a young student to buy a couple of bottles on release every year. I have visited the estate and drunk at their home while lapping up the hospitality of a truly wonderful wine family. There has been a bottle of Prum at most of the significant events in my adult life. Prum definitely pulls on the vinous heartstrings for me.

There is no questioning the quality as Prum remains firmly on top of the tree in Germany and while many producers are nipping at their heals only a few can rival the sheer class and purity that Katharina and her family manage to bottle year in and year out.

Lastly Riesling is, for me, the greatest vessel for terroir expression of any wine variety (there may be more out there but I don’t know what they are). The way the variety transmutes the detail of soil and climate in to the wine, showcasing every nuance of the season and the vineyard with wonderful clarity, this is the greatest achievement any wine can hope for, true expression of time and place.

So with all those aspects covered then I still feel justified in saying Prum remains my favourite producer of white wine on earth and for me one of the top producers of any wine in any style from any variety anywhere in the world. Lots of superlatives? Sure, but damn I Love Prum. ROSCOE