Joh Jos Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 2020

Although the J.J. Prum vineyards all border each other along the same riverbank and share roughly the same soils (Devonian slate),  each site has subtle, yet important differences that results in quite distinctive styles of wine. 

Graacher Himmelreich directly borders the southern edge of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard. The wines from this site often often challenge those from its more famous neighbor, especially in hot, dry years. Graacher wines  attract with their racy acidity, a pronounced minerality (that reminds of crushed rock) and slightly different fruit aromas and flavours (more in the citrus spectrum). Often, the wines become accessible slightly earlier than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and are deliciously mouth-watering when young. Looking at the vineyard conditions, the hill faces slightly more westwards than the  Wehlener Sonnenuhr , i.e. it has a more south-west exposure, it is a little less steep and has deeper soils which act as excellent water reservoirs.

The 2020er Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese offers a quite rich and even slightly ripe nose of almond cream and bakery products as well as honeyed yellow peach, William’s pear, apricot, and anise, all wrapped into smoky and refined elements. The wine coats the palate with ample and sweet fruits, which give a smoother and ampler structure to the wine. The finish has however more presence and intensity, but still needs to integrate its tale of initial sweetness. This clearly has some upside potential as it gains finesse and elegance over time. 2028-2045. - Mosel Fine Wines Issue 59, 92+ Points 

The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Riesling
Country - Germany
Region - Mosel
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 7.5%