Joh Jos Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Long Goldkapsel 2022

Product Information: Only a single ‘Auslese Long Goldkapsel’ could be made in the 2022 season from Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. Often made with a higher degree of botrytis than the straight Goldkapsel wines (roughly 50% this release compared to the 30% of straight Goldkapsel), the style could be described as bridging a gap between traditional Goldkap and Beerenauslese. Think of it this way, winemaker Katharina Prüm notes that they could have registered this wine as a Beerenauslese but ultimately felt the style sat closer to the Goldkapsel category. To differentiate the Long Goldkapsel wines, the Prüm estate marks these special releases with two white stripes at the bottom of the golden capsule, in contrast to only one stripe for the regular Goldkapsel. Sufficed to say, this is exceptionally rare. Goldkapsel wines can work very well with desserts – ideally fruit-based dishes or crème caramel, typically nothing too sweet or chocolate-based. However, they are again better paired—especially with age—with robust, savoury food and especially cheese. With savoury dishes, you can throw anything at them, even very spicy dishes, red meat. These wines are far more versatile than most dry whites and certainly more so than all red wine styles. Situated in the Mosel wine region, along the Mosel River in Germany. This region is renowned for producing some of the best Riesling wines in the world. Zeltinger Sonnenuhr is the most Northern site, directly border Wehlener on its northern border. Similar in aspect and conditions to Wehlener but less topsoil which constitutes lower yields and denser characters from 60-70 yr old vines. It is impossible to describe JJ Prüm wines without mentioning the German Pradikatswein Wine Classifications that indicates the ripeness level of the Riesling grapes. Auslese Goldkapsel – While not strictly within the Pradikatswein Classifications, a producer may use a gold capsule or foil to denote a wine made with fruit that is of an even higher level of selection than the standard Auslese. To put that into context, the lightest in the German Riesling spectrum is Kabinett (picked at full ripeness), moving on to Spatlese (Late Harvest), Auslese (Select Harvest), Auslese (Select Harvest) Goldkapsel, Auslese (Select Harvest) Lange Goldkapsel, Beerenauslese (Select Berry Harvest), and then the ripest being Trockenbeerenauslese picked as single berries that are almost raisinated by noble rot and selected by hand, further these berries are dried on straw mats further concentrating the sugars and flavour/aroma compounds. Generally speaking, the later the harvest, the longer the wine can live, so Spatlese is more age-worthy than Kabinett, Auslese more so than Spatlese, and so on. Maker: The Prüm family story in the Mosel dates back to 1156, beginning with was Johann Josef Prüm (1873 – 1944) who founded the estate in 1911. By the mid-1930s Johann Josef’s son, Sebastian, forged the distinctive style of the Prüm wines. From 1969, the imitable Dr Manfred Prüm would elevate Joh. Jos. Prüm to even greater heights, today the estate is run by Manfred’s daughter Katharina Prüm who watches over 13.5 hectares of vines on the harrowing slate-rich slopes of the Middle Mosel. In The Wines of Germany, Stephen Brook writes “With the rise of so many excellent winemakers in the Mosel, one might have supposed that Joh. Jos. 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.” Which begs the question, what is the secret to J.J. Prüm’s continued success? How do they stand out among top Mosel producers? It’s all about their exceptional vineyards: old vines at great sites, keeping the lowest yields, daring but calculated late harvesting, and a careful selection of the finest berries. Joh. Jos. Prüm’s vineyards are at forefront of the estate’s success. Their holdings include vineyards – Wehlener