TN: Riesling Kabinett Graacher Himmelreich 2015, JJ Prum

WINE TALK
1

Morning all!

Given all the hype about the vintage, the coruscating reviews of Prum’s wines, and the fact that Prum is the last truly great producer I can afford, I went batshit crazy when offered the chance of getting some 2015 Prum Riesling. I purchased everything from Kabinett to Auslese (I left it to the partner to buy Gold Cap Auslese). I have two magnums of Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese and also one of Kabinett, but there is no shame in being a Prum Spatlese or Kabinett. Given that this is one of the least grand wines from Prum, I think the rest of my 15s - all Wehlener Sonnenuhr - will be some of the very greatest wines I will ever own. Here’s the cheapie!

Riesling Kabinett Graacher Himmelreich 2015, Joh. Jos. Prum

Do not let anyone tell you otherwise, you can smell acidity. In this wine the acidity blasts out of the glass, firing electric currents up one nostril. They charge your sinuses, invigorating and enlivening them, before zapping out of your other nostril to fry any small creatures foolish enough to be in range of this stunning Kabinett.

The fruit is also laser-focused, highly precise lime aromas. By heaven, the minerality is stunning too. This is the nose of a f*cking serious wine.

It still has the Prum thumb-print, but it is not as immediately identifiable as Wehlener Sonnenuhr. It is also different to that other great master of Graacher Himmelreich, Willi Schaefer. Willi makes lovely wines, but they do not have the same nigh-petrifying aromatic profile.

On the palate the fruit and acidity are as focussed and linear as a sniper’s bullet. For those of us with sensitive stomachs on Proton Pump Inhibitors this translates as, “Aaaargh! Aaaargh! It hurts! It hurts so much! Another glassful, please!”.

If you take a big mouthful and give it a quick swirl around your mouth, before your teeth dissolve, you get the idea that there is some hint of tropical fruit going on, something passion fruit-like. However, the main fruit impression is a laser guided missile filled with lime peel targeted directly at your mouth.

Now, I have talked a lot about focus, directness and laser guided bombs, but if you like your Kabinetts to be Kabinetty and have the true terror balance of a really fine wine, this will etch into your palate that it is a great wine.

I’ve been buying JJ Prum wines since 1990: 83s and 85s to start with, and have tasted much older examples. This is clearly the most shriekingly brilliant Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett (both in terms of the characteristics of origin it shows and sheer quality) I have battled in a mano e vino contest during my Riesling-obsessed life. Be brave, buy a box of bottles.

Cheers,
Davy.

2

My wife and I opened this same bottle yesterday afternoon. I only purchased 3 of them (3 WS kabinett’s too) and was hesitant to open one so soon, but like a kid on christmas morning I just couldn’t hold back any longer.

Wow. what a ride through the senses. Your write up so accurately described this wine that I now am pondering whether to open another one today!

TW

3

Tim,

You are absolutely spot on! It was a wild, crazy, thrill for all your senses! There were so many flavours, aromas, explosions! I bloody loved it! [wow.gif]

I have also had a WS Kabinett (and tasting samples of the Spatlese and Auslese, but beyond me thinking “I have experienced perfection!” and goosebumps appearing all over my skin, they don’t count)- I really am convinced I have a little stash of finest wine I’ll buy… paff!.. in this decade at least. This will be further tested when, in the not too distant future, I pop an Auslese and a Spatlese so I can have a proper taste. ‘Shouting’ Manfred and Katherina Prum have excelled themselves,

I see no problems with opening German Riesling when they are young. Like almost every other category of wine, the cellar worthiness of German wine in total is vastly overstated - most of them are best young. Prum will age then hang around for decade after decade - natch - but they are still totally lovely when they are young. If I were you I’d pop a WSK in the not too distant future - prepare for a staggeringly good time!

Cheers,
Davy.

4

David,

I almost skipped reading this until I noticed who had posted it. Love your writing!

5

Thank you, Bill! That’s very kind of you!

Now go and buy some Prum 15s!

Cheers,
Davy.

6

Davy,

I had this same wine (from 375ml) about 10 days ago, and completely agree with your ebullient note. It’s an amazing wine.

7

Thank you, boys. The impetus to order the GH and WS Kabs. Already had the Spats.

Yum. Delivery coming . . . .

8

Thanks David for the wonderful note and confirming my decision to go very deep across the '15 Prum spectrum. I also grabbed 3 mags.

9

Top marks, Robert! That is a very mature and sensible to do. :wink:

Cheers, Russ, you’ll have an awful lot of fun with them for an awfully long time. When I had my miserably small tasting shot of the Spatlese I instantly knew some had to be mine - the bristling hairs on my neck were standing erect to whatever anthem wines at the zenith of pleasure and greatness nigh silently vibrate in the aura surrounding their bottles.

I had better get some more. I seriously don’t believe I will ever encounter such stupendous wines at prices that allow me to buy more than a single bottle. Having 3 mags makes me as pleased as chips… No! Better than that!.. Pleased as goose fat roasted potatoes!

Cheers,
D.

10

Oh sorry, D@vid, I didn’t mean to miss you out. Thank you, and I’m glad you had a tits time with the wine!

11

Thanks for your amazingly entertaining note. I agree it’s a great wine. And as good as it is, I actually think the '12 is even a touch better, at least at this young stage. How they’ll stack up in 20 years is anyone’s guess, and it will be fun to compare.

12

Come now you’ve been bat shit crazy well before this vintage!!!

Love your tasting notes.

13

My mags are 1 each of the GH Spatlese, WS Spatlese & WS Auslese. I too am, "pleased as goose fat roasted potatoes!'. BTW, “When I had my miserably small tasting shot of the Spatlese I instantly knew some had to be mine - the bristling hairs on my neck were standing erect to whatever anthem wines at the zenith of pleasure and greatness nigh silently vibrate in the aura surrounding their bottles”, has to be the most descriptive sentence I’ve ever read on the board and why I so enjoy reading your post. [cheers.gif]

14

Oh Russ, you are far too kind! When I write even a brief description on a wine, it’s the wine I primarily I want to let communicate. What better tasting notes could we write than the expression of a wine when you pop and pour it with some friends? So, as I believe the saying goes, “Oh it’s just the wine talking!”. Yes, Arv R, I really am bayshit crazy.

But if I may flatter myself (and it’s not that much flattery because people have spent money based on it - see above), didn’t my note express more about the wine and how it made me feel, than, say, one of those dreary notes I hate so much that are basically a list of similar fruits?

Mr RP used to excel at that lifeless, happiness expunging verbal piss before he went hatstand. God, I bleeding hated his notes that were almost always drained of any passion, fun and pleasure - miserable sod.

Mr David K, this is something that has been much on my mind of late. Some extremely reliable chums described the 12 Spatlese as potentially the best Spatlese Prum has ever made - bold claim. So I scored a bunch and have been drinking through them with libidinous pleasure for the last 18 months or so. They are, indeed, the cat’s arse; someone on here said better than 12 Auslese, and whoever it was, they were right. So I have 12 Spatlese fresh in my mind when I will be tasting the 15 out of a proper glass with a proper amount in it. Then I’ll report back! However, I feel I should say, “Remember, it’s not a competition!” Going down the path of ranking wines leads toward scoring them, and when I do that I would sob in bed until I had expunged all of the fluid in my body, leaving me desiccated.

Thank you, and good morning!
Davy.

15

Davy,
Wether you realize it or not, you are an amazing treasure…

16

JBray23, thank you, that’s really touching! My partner says that too, but sometimes it is easier to believe than at other times. When I’m in ludicrous pain (NOT from drinking Riesling, there is good pain and bad pain) or am psychotic (also DEFINITELY NOT from drinking Riesling) I think horrible things about myself, really horrible. I am currently in a quite serious amount of pain, but your little message has helped me enormously rise above all the horrific voices and not get involved with them.

You are an extremely kind and, whether you realise it or not, helpful chap. You have my huge thanks and those of my partner who says, “See? I tell you this all the time!”. Have a wonderful day.

17

Davy, you are a treasure indeed. I’ve had only one JJ Prum previously (don’t remember which exactly) but my mind was blown. Your note was too tempting… I picked up 6 of the Graacher Himmerlich and 6 of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr for good measure!!!

18

.
Jason, old bean, you have done yourself as huge favour! I was just thinking about the Graacher, strangely, and whether I should get any more. The energy and vivacity of the wine is just mind-blowing (see above;), I’d wager it’d still be full of life, thrills and spills in 10-15 years. If I got some, though, it’d all go this summer! flirtysmile

I suppose I should try and be reasonable, I’ve spent more than I really have on the Wehleners (I have 3 bottles and 2 mags of Kabinett, 4 bottles and 3 mags of Spatlese, and 3 bottles of Auslese - let the revelries commence! [drinkers.gif]). I now have no wine money until April/May [swearing.gif]. I will, of course, report here on the Spatlese and Auslese when I pop them.

Enjoy them, you’ve made a great purchase!

D.

19

I picked up 6 of these. Thanks!

20

Thanks for the note! That’s birthyear for my daughter and I have bought several of this bottling including a couple of mags. I don’t plan on touching them any time soon however.