Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese

The Wehlener Sonnenuhr is the most famous and considered the best vineyard of the JJ Prum estate. It offers perfect growing conditions for the Riesling with its deep, weather-beaten grey slate soil, a good water support, and extreme steepness of up to 35 degrees and its optimal south-south-west-exposure.

The Wehlener Sonnenuhr – and the same does apply for the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr – is named after the sundial („Sonnenuhr“ literally means sundial) erected in the vineyard in 1842 by Jodocus Prüm, an ancestor of J.J. Prüm, to give the workers a better time orientation.

The wines of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr possess an excellent structure, typically showing ripe aromas and flavours (typically stone fruits, like peach), a fine minerality and great depth and length. Especially after having been aged for some years, their harmony, finesse and expression is unique.

Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett is a benchmark Mosel Riesling, known for its elegance, precision, and age-worthy charm.
It typically opens with aromas of white peach, tangerine, and citrus blossom, layered with minty herbs, floral nuances, and a touch of slate minerality. On the palate, it’s light-bodied and off-dry, with a seamless balance of juicy fruit, racy acidity, and a cool, stony backbone. The finish is long and refreshing, often showing a playful interplay of zesty citrus and saline minerality.
Compared to Prüm’s other sites, Wehlener Sonnenuhr tends to be the most refined and expressive, with a slightly more opulent texture than the more delicate Bernkasteler Badstube.

Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese is a stunning expression of Mosel Riesling, known for its depth, elegance, and aging potential. It typically opens with aromas of ripe white peach, apricot, and citrus zest, layered with floral notes, crushed slate, and a touch of honey. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and off-dry, with vibrant acidity that balances the sweetness beautifully. The texture is silky, and the finish is long, mineral, and mouthwatering—a wine that evolves gracefully over decades.
Now, comparing it to the Kabinett from the same vineyard and producer:
- Sweetness & Ripeness: Spätlese is harvested later, so it has more residual sugar and riper fruit. Kabinett is lighter, more delicate, and often drier or just off-dry.
- Structure: Spätlese has more body and intensity, while Kabinett is typically fresher, leaner, and more ethereal.
- Aging: Both age beautifully, but Spätlese tends to develop greater complexity over a longer period, gaining honeyed and petrol notes with time.
- Style: Kabinett is all about precision and lift, while Spätlese leans into luxurious texture and layered richness.
Think of Kabinett as a crystalline mountain stream, and Spätlese as that same stream flowing through a sun-drenched orchard.