Product Information:
The 2022 Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett is still slightly muted on the nose, but underneath that, chervil - and green apple-scented freshness comes through, fine and bright. While the body is sleek and lithe, the flavours are already in open, with a long finish. All of which makes it very tempting to now - so decant if you do, but cellar if you can.
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. Bernkasteler Badstube is the last of the vineyard sites that can appear on a J.J. Prum label. This vineyard borders those of the Graacher Himmelreich on the latter’s southern edge. The Bernkasteler Badstube slopes are on a marginally shallower gradient, with deeper soils than the more established Graacher and Wehlener, while the western orientation allows the vines longer exposure to the afternoon sun. Kabinett Riesling has a sweetness level that can range from dry to off-dry and can exhibit flavours and aromas of citrus, stone fruit, floral and mineral notes. In regards to the ripeness level, Kabinett Riesling is prized for its lightness, balance and for being delicious when paired with a variety of foods.
It is impossible to describe JJ Prüm wines without mentioning the German Pradikatswein Wine Classifications that indicates the ripeness level of the Riesling grapes. Kabinett - is the entry-level of Pradikatswein. Grapes are picked at full ripeness yet still at the lighter end of the German Riesling spectrum. The wines and are usually dry or off-dry in terms of sweetness level.
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.
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 Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Bernkasteler Lay, Bernkasteler Badstube and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. All of these sites are exclusively dedicated to growing and harvesting Riesling grapes for Joh. Jos. Depending on the specific vintage, the average annual production of wine is typically between 10,000 to 13,000 cases.
Vineyard:
Where the 2019s and 2021s need a few more years to hit their straps, Prüm’s 2022 Kabinetts are already shining. As usual, the power builds from Bernkastel to Graach to Wehlen. Each shows the majesty of this vintage in their own way. The positive press speaks volumes of the 2022 season. Overall, the wines are wonderfully fresh and balanced. Although they will mostly be drunk young, they will also improve for five to 10 years, and 20 years will not weary them. They could effortlessly stand up to a broad range of flavours: sashimi, lighter Asian dishes and tuna tartare, for example. But any seafood or white meat, and of course, they make beautiful aperitifs.
Prum’s four key vineyards are all located on the same continuous slope, all on a mixture of grey and blue Devonian slate soils with varying south-to-south westerly aspects. Positioned in the heart of Mosel the vineyards are named from south to north: Bernkasteler Badstube, Graacher Himmelreich, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. These vineyards have been in continuous production for some 2000 years.
The major differences between the sites have to do with the variation in the aspect (from south to southwest) and the steepness and the depth of the soil. These are subtle differences, but make for wonderfully distinctive wines. Of course all the vineyards of J.J. Prüm are renowned, but the majestic Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard that is the most famous. The revered site lies opposite the village of Wehlen and the Estate owns seven hectares - largely planted to ungrafted wines - which has very thin topsoil over Devonian slate (in some areas of the vineyard the plants grow out of pure rock!). Wehlener Sonnenuhr has the highest pure stone content of all the Prüm vineyards, and along with neighbouring Zeltinger, the steepest of Prüm’s vineyards - with a dizzying 65-70% gradient in places. Wine writer Stuart Pigott summarises perfectly, “In top vintages the Wehlener Sonnenuhr 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.”
Nose - Granny Smiths and Blossoms, White Tree Fruit, French Parsley
Cool and restrained nose with delicate aromas of herbal and old-fashioned apple varieties.
Palate - Turkish Apple Tea, Stonefruits, Refreshing
Well-structured on the sleek light-bodied palate, in spite of the moderate acidity (in the Mosel context).
Finish - Honey, Citrus, Slate
The long aftertaste has the merest notion of honey, soon taken over by citrus. The flavours are already in full flush, with a long echo.
Cool and restrained nose with delicate aromas of herbal and old-fashioned apple varieties. Well-structured on the sleek light-bodied palate, in spite of the moderate acidity (in the Mosel context). Long, refreshing finish with white tree fruit and summer berry notes. Drink or hold. - Stuart Pigott, Jamessuckling.com, 93 Points.
The 2022 Riesling Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett is still slightly reduced and yeasty, but underneath that, chervil- and green apple-scented freshness comes through, fine and bright. The palate is gently sweet and has notions of Turkish apple tea and a little tea tannin, countered by rounded but delicate freshness. The long aftertaste has the merest notion of honey, soon taken over by citrus. While the body is slender, the flavours are already in full flush, with a long echo. (Medium) - Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous, 92 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Riesling
Country - Germany
Region - Mosel
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 8.5%
