READ · COMPARE · EXPLAIN
Joh. Jos. Prüm: Reading Riesling through villages and vineyards
Joh. Jos. Prüm is a Riesling producer located in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel. According to VDP, the cultivated variety is 100% Riesling. They manage several vineyards including Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Himmelreich. This producer is a starting point for reading about the differences between vineyards with a unified variety.
Once you've established the common factor of Riesling, focus on the villages and vineyards. When selecting bottles to compare, also consider the significance of matching vintage and Prädikat level.
Questions for this course
When comparing wines made from the same grape variety, what information do you compare on the label?
Before you start reading, briefly jot down your thoughts. You will rephrase them at the end.
To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Joh. Jos. Prüm / Learn from producers
Germany / Mosel / Wehlen
Aliases & spellings: Joh. Jos. Prüm / Johann Josef Prüm / Joh Jos Prum / JJ Prum / J.J. Prüm
Update date: 2026-09-25
Even if the grape variety is the same, it can come from more than one place.
The VDP introduction states that Prüm’s varietal composition is 100% Riesling. At the same time, it mentions the vineyards of Wehlen, Graach, and Bernkastel. Working with a single variety and making wine from a single vineyard are different concepts. By reading the village and vineyard names after the grape variety, you can narrow down the places to compare.
Combine village and vineyard names.
Wëlen Sonnenuhr and Graach Himmelreich are separate vineyards. When recording names, note both the vineyard and the village. Distinguish between vineyard classification and what appears on a specific wine label—being a VDP.GROSSE LAGE does not automatically mean the bottle is a dry GG.
Standardize comparison conditions in advance
If you want to consider vineyard differences, it is easier to compare wines from the same vintage and with the same Prädikat level. Yet, that does not mean the location is the only difference. What can be verified from Prüms' introduction are the grape varieties and the range of vineyards they handle; the residual sugar and winemaking conditions of individual bottles should be checked with other sources.
What to align and what to compare.
Place
- Conditions to standardize
- The Riesling grape variety
- Conditions for comparison.
- Vineyards of Wëlen and Graach
- Additional points to confirm
- Are you confusing single-varietal with single-vineyard?
Place name
- Conditions to standardize
- Vineyard list for the same producer
- Conditions for comparison.
- ZöNnenUhr and Himmelreich
- Additional points to confirm
- Are you able to read the combination of the village and vineyard names?
How to choose a bottle
- Conditions to standardize
- Match the vintage and Prädikat level as closely as possible.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Different wines from the vineyard
- Additional points to confirm
- Can the individual residual sugar and winemaking conditions also be verified?
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Reading Joh. Jos. Prüm materials: Understanding Riesling through villages and vineyards
Compare the stated conditions in the documentation. Numbers specifying vintages should be treated as information for that specific year.
This summarizes materials published by producers, regional groups, and importers. Each source includes the publisher and the date the material was checked.
| Comparison items | What can be determined from the materials | Ability to distinguish by reading |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes | VDP introduction: 100% Riesling | A single-varietal and a single-vineyard are different. |
| Village and vineyard | Wëlen Sonnenuhr and Graach Himmelreich | Record vineyard names together with village names. |
| Structuring comparisons | Align the year and Prädikat when comparing vineyards. | Check the individual residual sugar and winemaking conditions as additional criteria |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What does 100% Riesling tell us?
100% Riesling refers to variety alone. The VDP lists several villages and vineyards, so it does not mean a single vineyard. Even within the same grape, always confirm source locations, harvest stage, and finished wine’s sweetness separately.
Which village name is paired with Himmelreich?
Himmelreich mentioned in this producer description is a vineyard in Graach. Sonnenuhr should be paired with Wehlen. Recording the village and vineyard names together helps avoid confusing similar or different locations.
What is the appropriate starting point for comparing vineyard differences?
When you align the year and Prädikat, it's easier to organize and compare conditions. However, this does not guarantee all other conditions are identical. Vineyard classification does not specify the residual sugar of individual bottles, so technical product information is also needed.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
Please explain differences in raw materials and winemaking by reading the table and sources.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Comparison items | What can be determined from the materials | Ability to distinguish by reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grapes | VDP introduction: 100% Riesling | A single-varietal and a single-vineyard are different. | |
| Village and vineyard | Wëlen Sonnenuhr and Graach Himmelreich | Record vineyard names together with village names. | |
| Structuring comparisons | Align the year and Prädikat when comparing vineyards. | Check the individual residual sugar and winemaking conditions as additional criteria |
Sources of materials used for comparison are listed in the text and exercises.
Explain in your own words
For the two Prüm vineyards, name them together with their associated villages, and list what conditions you would want to match when selecting bottles for comparison.
Check after writing
- 100% Riesling refers to variety alone. The VDP lists several villages and vineyards, so it does not mean a single vineyard. Even within the same grape, always confirm source locations, harvest stage, and finished wine’s sweetness separately.
- Himmelreich mentioned in this producer description is a vineyard in Graach. Sonnenuhr should be paired with Wehlen. Recording the village and vineyard names together helps avoid confusing similar or different locations.
- When you align the year and Prädikat, it's easier to organize and compare conditions. However, this does not guarantee all other conditions are identical. Vineyard classification does not specify the residual sugar of individual bottles, so technical product information is also needed.
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