Cellar Favorite: 2015 & 2005 Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 16, 2026

Joh. Jos. Prüm has been one of my go-to Mosel producers since I fell under the Riesling spell in the salad days of my career. I have fond memories of visiting Katharina Prum and her father, Manfred, when I frequented the annual auctions in Trier. These two bottles, which were poured side-by-side at a recent dinner, were pertinent reminders of the wonders of affordable Mosel Riesling. The 2015 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett hardly seems to have aged since bottling. Pale and clear in hue, it has a bright, lucid and vibrant nose with faint background scents of apricot blossom and mint. The palate is linear and tensile from the start, built around its razor-sharp acidity. Flecks of wild peach decorate the finish that just fizzes with energy. What are we looking at here? Answer: a Riesling that will blossom over 40 or 50 years with no problem. 94/Drink 2026-2065

The 2005 Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett is even better than the 2015 tasted alongside. This shows some signs of maturity with subtle linseed and Clementine scents on the nose, but it is the palate that is so striking. The 2005 is endowed with tremendous weight; it’s oily in texture, richer than the 2015, but with countervailing acidity that lends it balletic poise. It just lacquers the mouth and leaves you gasping for more. It’s amazing how a great Riesling seems so light on its toes yet exerts such presence. The residual sugar here is perfectly pitched, perhaps nudging up to Spätlese in sensation. This will give 25 to 30 years more drinking pleasure. 96/Drink 2026-2055

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