Weingut S.A. Prüm 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 750ml

Few names carry more weight among Riesling enthusiasts than Prüm, and S.A. Prüm is genuinely the ancestral root of that entire family tree — the original estate from which every other Prüm winery eventually descended. The family's presence in the Mosel dates back to 1156, making it one of the oldest winegrowing dynasties in the entire region, and it was a Prüm ancestor, Jodocus, who in 1842 built the actual sundial standing in the Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard that gives this wine its name — a landmark that remains, to this day, in the Prüm family's own ownership. Sebastian Alois Prüm formally founded the estate under his initials in 1911, and it's been led since 1971 by his grandson Raimund, known locally as "the Red Prüm," who expanded the property into one of Germany's most internationally respected wine estates before passing full ownership to his daughter Saskia Andrea Prüm in 2017 — the first woman to own the estate that carries her own initials.

The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard itself is widely considered one of the finest Riesling sites in the world: steep, weathered grey slate soils, a south-southwest exposure, and gradients reaching up to 70% — genuinely extreme, hand-harvested terrain that concentrates flavor and mineral character in ways flatter vineyards simply cannot replicate. Auslese sits toward the sweeter, more concentrated end of Germany's Prädikat classification system, made from selectively hand-picked, fully ripe grape bunches, often touched by a degree of noble rot, producing a wine with genuine richness balanced against the vineyard's naturally piercing acidity.

We don't have an independently published critic review specific to this 2019 Auslese from S.A. Prüm, so rather than borrow notes from a different producer or a different Prädikat level, we'll let this particular wine speak for itself once it's open. For genuine house-style context, Wine Enthusiast's Aleks Zecevic reviewed S.A. Prüm's 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese — one Prädikat level below Auslese, from the same vineyard and vintage — describing it as "very expressive," with "a prominent apricot jam note that is swept by electric acidity," hints of "mint and lavender" echoing "in the background adding to the charm," and "a prominent key lime pie note" lingering "on the finish." This is genuinely serious, historically significant Mosel Riesling — from the family estate where the entire Prüm winemaking legacy began.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Weingut S.A. Prüm is located in Bernkastel-Wehlen, in Germany's Middle Mosel region, and represents the ancestral root of the entire Prüm winemaking family, whose presence in the region dates to 1156. The estate itself was formally founded in 1911 by Sebastian Alois Prüm, and has been led since 1971 by his grandson Raimund Prüm, who expanded the property from 3.5 to 30 hectares and built its international reputation. In 2017, Raimund's daughter, Saskia Andrea Prüm, took over full ownership and winemaking — the first woman to lead the estate bearing her own initials. S.A. Prüm is a founding member of the VDP, Germany's association of top-tier wine estates.

Wehlener Sonnenuhr — "the sundial of Wehlen" — takes its name from a sundial built by Prüm ancestor Jodocus Prüm in 1842, still standing in the vineyard and still owned by the family. The site's steep, weathered grey slate soils, gradients up to 70%, and south-southwest exposure are widely considered ideal for Riesling. This Auslese is made from selectively hand-harvested, fully ripe grape bunches, in keeping with Germany's traditional Prädikat classification system.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Foie gras
• Blue cheese
• Fruit-based desserts
• Spicy Asian cuisine