Rieslings under $100 rarely get ‘good’ scores from respected wine reviewers. Rieslings under $50 rarely get ‘outstanding’ scores from one of the most respected names in wine. The 2011 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett received a 95 Point score from none other than John Gilman, editor of “Views from the Cellar.” I’d also like to add that this wine was also given 93 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Should I tell you the price yet? I think I’ll hold off for now…
Vintage
2011 will go down in history as one of the greatest Riesling vintages of all time. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate quotes:
“…Make no mistake: if not a "vintage of the century"…2011 is an extremely fine Riesling year that can boast quite a few truly extraordinary successes across a range of styles.”
Estate / Vineyard
The Joh Jos Prum estate has been producing wine for over 400 years. If there were such a thing as Mosel Valley First Growth, JJ Prum would undoubtedly be a part of it. Their mostly ungrafted vines sprawl over 14 acres of the best areas of the Mosel Saar Ruwer. These Rieslings are built for the long haul (and by long haul, I mean 25 to 50 years!). This will drink until 2050!
“…It goes without saying, given their long track record, that these are, in general, wines to cellar long-term – even the Kabinetts among them – but you will certainly not be disappointed if you can’t restrain yourself from opening some Prum 2011s today!” – RPWA
The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard is J.J. Prum’s most famous vineyard. Stuart Pigott, author of ‘The Wine Atlas of Germany’, comments that “For wine lovers around the world the Wehlener Sonnenuhr name is synonymous with great Riesling. In top vin
tages the site yields the richest, silkiest, most seductive wines on the Mosel. The fame of these Rieslings is inextricably linked with that of the Joh Jos Prüm estate.”
Tasting Review
“The from Weingut Joh Jos Prum is a gorgeous and very expressive example of the vintage. The deep, pure and utterly refined nose wafts from the glass in a delicious blend of apple, pear, a beautifully complex signature of slate, petrol and a potpourri of white flowers in the upper register. On the palate the wine is medium-full, pure and rock solid at the core, with zesty acids, laser-like focus and simply stunning length and grip on the complex and dancing finish. A stunning Kabinett in the making!" - John Gilman, A View From the Cellar
Rieslings are the perfect wine to pair with most foods, especially Asian and spicy foods. This particular Riesling is a Kabinett, which is the least sweet out of all the German Rieslings. I can assure you that when tasted in a crowd, I did not see one unsatisfied face. The wine goes down smooth and lingers on the palate until your next sip. Word of advice – buy more than one bottle, because your guests won’t be shy on the second pour!
Oh, the price! All things considered: The 95 point outstanding score from John Gilman, production from one of the most respected names in wine history, and the capability to age another 37 years? $31.95/bottle.