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6 bottles per lot
Details
Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm
This 20 hectare estate was founded in 1911 and has over the decades has become one of the top producers of refined Mosel Riesling wines. Though JJ Prum owns various vineyards their best wines come from Wehlener-Sonnenuhr, located on the opposite bank of the Mosel river from the family house.
Herr Manfred Prüm is now assisted by his friendly daughter Katharina. As with most great wine estates it all sound very easy; late harvest, severe selection and great vineyards. JJ Prum’s wines are rightfully legendary even in the lower quality steps. A Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Kabinett 1982 was still fresh and lively when tasted in December 2012.
Very pure elegant wines with finesse and great balance, which take time to shed of their initial closed faze. JJ Prum’s wines belong in every serious wine collection.
Understanding “Goldcapsule”
“Goldcapsule” is not defined by German wine laws, rather it is a means used by estates to distinguish higher-quality wines within one Prädikat, especially the Auslese category, from their basic lots. To understand the background better, it is very helpful to look back a few decades. Before 1971, there were four recognized levels of Auslese wines in Germany. You could find wines labelled as „Auslese“, „Feine Auslese“, „Feinste Auslese“, and „Hochfeine Auslese“. The longer the name the higher the concentration – usually achieved by botrytis - and the smaller the production. In an effort to simplify the universal marketing of German wines, the government stepped in and revised the Prädikat system to allow for only one Auslese category. The new rule was met with frustration by the high-quality-conscious winemakers, mostly those from the Mosel, who had perfected the art of selective harvesting and now were deprived of the traditional means to express the different levels. The issue with Auslese in particular is that it is the Prädikat level with the widest Oechsle range (in Germany, the natural concentration of the grapejuice at harvest is measured in degrees Oechsle). On one end of the spectrum is a style closer to Spätlese and on the other end is Beerenauslese. So with just Auslese on the label how would a customer know if it was closer to Spätlese style or closer to a BA? Since the 1971 law forbid use of wording to denote special bottlings within a Prädikat, estates developed other means of identification. The most acknowledged method – and the one also used by Joh. Jos. Prüm estate - is a golden capsule, in contrast to the white capsule used for the “basic” Auslese. A short gold capsule usually means a presence of botrytis and a long gold capsule represents a remarkably higher percentage of botrytis and consequently concentration.
Unfortunately, there was no uniform solution by all estates found after the change of law in 1971. Instead of the Goldcapsule, some estates opted to use a star system on the label and still others use a cask number. Also, there are some wineries that use golden colored capsules on all their wines, and there are again others that produce Goldcaps not only in the Auslese but also in the Spätlese category.
What are the characteristics of a Goldcapsule and why buy such a wine? Think of them as limited edition, rather small production lots of the best Auslese of a vintage. They are made from intensely selected grapes containing higher concentrated juice, usually affected by a certain amount of botrytis/noble rot; capable of aging even remarkably longer than “basic” Auslesen, lasting for many decades. In the course of time, they lose some of their sweetness, gain more and more elegance and harmony and the complex profile and depth come to the forefront.
Goldcapsules are not made every year. Due to an overall higher ripeness of the grapes in the more recent past, there were more chances to produce such wines than in earlier days, however, for instance, vintage 2004 allowed only a very small quantity to be produced which was only offered at the VDP Mosel auction in Trier.
Finally, the JJ Prum wines of the highest quality categories, i.e. Beerenauslesen, Trockenbeerenauslesen and Eisweine, are always “decorated” with a Long Goldcapsule. In these high levels, there is no differentiation, capsule-wise.
JJ Prum, Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel #29 1971
Mosel
Slightly bin soiled labels. Levels five 0.5cm, one 1cm
6 bottles per lot
This 20 hectare estate was founded in 1911 and has over the decades has become one of the top producers of refined Mosel Riesling wines. Though JJ Prum owns various vineyards their best wines come from Wehlener-Sonnenuhr, located on the opposite bank of the Mosel river from the family house.
Herr Manfred Prüm is now assisted by his friendly daughter Katharina. As with most great wine estates it all sound very easy; late harvest, severe selection and great vineyards. JJ Prum’s wines are rightfully legendary even in the lower quality steps. A Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Kabinett 1982 was still fresh and lively when tasted in December 2012.
Very pure elegant wines with finesse and great balance, which take time to shed of their initial closed faze. JJ Prum’s wines belong in every serious wine collection.
Understanding “Goldcapsule”
“Goldcapsule” is not defined by German wine laws, rather it is a means used by estates to distinguish higher-quality wines within one Prädikat, especially the Auslese category, from their basic lots. To understand the background better, it is very helpful to look back a few decades. Before 1971, there were four recognized levels of Auslese wines in Germany. You could find wines labelled as „Auslese“, „Feine Auslese“, „Feinste Auslese“, and „Hochfeine Auslese“. The longer the name the higher the concentration – usually achieved by botrytis - and the smaller the production. In an effort to simplify the universal marketing of German wines, the government stepped in and revised the Prädikat system to allow for only one Auslese category. The new rule was met with frustration by the high-quality-conscious winemakers, mostly those from the Mosel, who had perfected the art of selective harvesting and now were deprived of the traditional means to express the different levels. The issue with Auslese in particular is that it is the Prädikat level with the widest Oechsle range (in Germany, the natural concentration of the grapejuice at harvest is measured in degrees Oechsle). On one end of the spectrum is a style closer to Spätlese and on the other end is Beerenauslese. So with just Auslese on the label how would a customer know if it was closer to Spätlese style or closer to a BA? Since the 1971 law forbid use of wording to denote special bottlings within a Prädikat, estates developed other means of identification. The most acknowledged method – and the one also used by Joh. Jos. Prüm estate - is a golden capsule, in contrast to the white capsule used for the “basic” Auslese. A short gold capsule usually means a presence of botrytis and a long gold capsule represents a remarkably higher percentage of botrytis and consequently concentration.
Unfortunately, there was no uniform solution by all estates found after the change of law in 1971. Instead of the Goldcapsule, some estates opted to use a star system on the label and still others use a cask number. Also, there are some wineries that use golden colored capsules on all their wines, and there are again others that produce Goldcaps not only in the Auslese but also in the Spätlese category.
What are the characteristics of a Goldcapsule and why buy such a wine? Think of them as limited edition, rather small production lots of the best Auslese of a vintage. They are made from intensely selected grapes containing higher concentrated juice, usually affected by a certain amount of botrytis/noble rot; capable of aging even remarkably longer than “basic” Auslesen, lasting for many decades. In the course of time, they lose some of their sweetness, gain more and more elegance and harmony and the complex profile and depth come to the forefront.
Goldcapsules are not made every year. Due to an overall higher ripeness of the grapes in the more recent past, there were more chances to produce such wines than in earlier days, however, for instance, vintage 2004 allowed only a very small quantity to be produced which was only offered at the VDP Mosel auction in Trier.
Finally, the JJ Prum wines of the highest quality categories, i.e. Beerenauslesen, Trockenbeerenauslesen and Eisweine, are always “decorated” with a Long Goldcapsule. In these high levels, there is no differentiation, capsule-wise.
JJ Prum, Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel #29 1971
Mosel
Slightly bin soiled labels. Levels five 0.5cm, one 1cm
6 bottles per lot
Special notice
On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT will be charged at 8% on both the premium as well as the hammer price.