Joh. Jos. Prüm (often just “J.J. Prüm”) is a legendary Riesling producer from the Mosel region in Germany. Its story is one of heritage, precision, and wines that combine delicacy with remarkable age-worthiness.

The Prüm family have been farming vine-lands along the Mosel for centuries, but the estate as we know it was founded in 1911 by Johann Josef Prüm, when the large family vineyards were divided. Over time, Sebastian Alois Prüm (Johann Josef’s son) defined much of the style that the name is known for today—bright acidity, mineral slate soils, subtle residual sweetness, graceful balance. The winery remains in family hands: Manfred Prüm, together with his daughter Katharina, carry forward the philosophy while maintaining deep respect for tradition.

All of their vineyards are dedicated to Riesling. The sites are steep, made of slate—devonian slate in many cases—with exposures and soil types that give different vineyards distinct character. Famous sites include Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Bernkasteler Badstube, among others. These vineyards give wines a combination of minerality, tension, light sweetness, and aroma that evolve beautifully over time.

Their approach to winemaking leans towards minimal intervention. Fermentation is largely spontaneous (using indigenous yeasts), picking is careful and often late so that wines show both ripeness and freshness, and aging is done patiently. Many of their Rieslings, even from modest levels like Kabinett, are known to drink well for a decade or more. The top bottlings (Auslese, Beerenauslese, etc.) can go on for many decades.

As a brand, J.J. Prüm stands for finesse, heritage, and expression of place. It’s not flashy; it doesn’t chase richness for its own sake, but instead seeks clarity, purity, and a voice of the Mosel—earth, slate, cool climate, bright acidity, fruit, and sweetness balanced by structure. For lovers of Riesling and fine German wine, the Prüm name is almost synonymous with what Mosel Riesling does best.