Since going international, we at Vino have been happily introducing our loyal customers to a diverse selection of wines from all corners of the world. One of these corners that can be a little intimidating is Germany — the language alone is enough to send one running to the comforts of Italy or France. But we’d like to take a moment here to talk about the J. J. Prüm 2008 Riesling Kabinett, which is a truly fantastic wine from arguably the best wine producer in all of Germany.

The Prüm family’s vineyards rest in the Mosel, one of the thirteen German wine regions where higher quality wines are made. Though the Prüms have been tending vines and making wine here since the 17th century, the modern winery only came about in 1911, when the property was divided between two grandsons. While Sebastien’s  S.A. Prüm remains a successful winery today, it was older brother Johann Josef (above) whose portion went onto receive global recognition. Over the years, other family members have lent a hand in developing the estate which is currently headed by his great-grandson, Dr. Manfred Prüm (below) and his daughter Katharina.

2008 was a cool, classic vintage in Germany; not as affected by global warming as previous years, the Prüm estate experienced a later harvest (in November) which resulted in exemplary conditions in the vineyards. The 2008 Riesling Kabinett is their estate riesling, which means the grapes are sourced from a few different vineyards, while still maintaining Pradikatwein status. This refers to the classification of the wine; Pradikat is the highest quality one can achieve in Germany. Kabinett refers not to the sweetness of the wine, but rather the level of ripeness at which the grapes were picked — this is the first and earliest level.

Traditionally, a Pradikat Kabinett can range from dry to semi-sweet; with low alcohol levels, ripe fruit flavors and aromas, great acidity and excellent aging potential. In fact, Prüm’s wines are known to age better than any other wines in Germany — most (including this one) will improve substantially with 10 years or more of aging. Of course, we encourage you to try one today — this wine is one of the best pairings for spicy Asian or Indian cuisine, but delicious on its own as well. With delicate flavors of peach, slate and citrus, this is a slightly sweet wine that will be sure to please many a palate this holiday season and beyond.

Joh. Jos. Prüm Riesling Kabinett 2008
$32

For more information please contact 212-725-6516 or info@vinosite.com.

Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling 2007
$24

Wine writer Oz Clarke once described Riesling as the “teacher’s pet”, the grape that wine geeks loved, but the masses never took a liking to. Sure, the metaphor was a little convoluted, but Mr. Clarke was onto something for few grapes are as polarizing as Riesling. Some people wax poetic about it nuances, while others disclaim it as sweet charlatan. Riesling has a thousand faces, but few, if any, are more beautiful than that of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht.

The estate is located in Alsace where it produces some of the world’s most stunning whites. Hell, they’re so significant they event have their own entry on Wikipedia — maybe not the world’s greatest distinction, but impressive none the less. Winemaker Olivier Humbrecht follows a strict regiment of biodynamic production and the results speak for themselves. Every wine sings in the glass. The 2007 Riesling is dry and complex with a plethora of aromas ranging from peach to petrol.

At Vino, we don’t usually reference a certain Mr. Robert Parker, but in the case of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht we couldn’t agree with him more. He writes, “I don’t know what is more mind-boggling, the quality of Domaine Zind-Humbrecht’s wines or Olivier Humbrecht’s complete dedication to quality. This tall, powerful, and intellectual man may well be the finest winemaker in the world.”

You can read more about Olivier’s thoughts on the 2007 vintage here.

For more information please contact 212-725-6516 or info@vinosite.com.