Product Description:
The enduring elegance of Graacher Himmelreich—now in magnum form. In the 2023 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 1.5L, you’ll find all the precision, balance, and site-specific character that defines this historic Mosel estate—delivered with the added cellaring advantage of a magnum. Perched just south of Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Himmelreich’s southwest-facing slope and deeper soils yield a Spätlese that is slightly richer and more immediately generous, yet still charged with vibrant acidity.
This vintage opens with textbook clarity—stone fruit, lime zest, smoky slate, and green herbs layered with creamier textures and subtle phenolic grip. It glides across the palate with poise and freshness, a perfect interplay of sweetness and acidity, finishing with Graach’s trademark verve. The larger format ensures slower development, making this an ideal bottle for long-term ageing or celebratory pours.
Structured yet seductive, this is a serious Mosel wine that delivers both immediate appeal and future promise.
The Maker
The Prüm family story in the Mosel dates back to 1156, beginning with was Johann Josef Prüm (1873 - 1944) who founded the estate in 1911. By the mid-1930s Johann Josef’s son, Sebastian, forged the distinctive style of the Prüm wines. From 1969, the imitable Dr Manfred Prüm would elevate Joh. Jos. Prüm to even greater heights, today the estate is run by Manfred’s daughter Katharina Prüm who watches over 13.5 hectares of vines on the harrowing slate-rich slopes of the Middle Mosel. In The Wines of Germany, Stephen Brook writes “With the rise of so many excellent winemakers in the Mosel, one might have supposed that Joh. Jos. Prüm, with its profound conservatism, might have been overtaken and left behind. Not a bit of it. The Estate remains where it has been for decades: at the summit.” Which begs the question, what is the secret to J.J. Prüm's continued success? How do they stand out among top Mosel producers? It’s all about their exceptional vineyards: old vines at great sites, keeping the lowest yields, daring but calculated late harvesting, and a careful selection of the finest berries.
Joh. Jos. Prüm's vineyards are at forefront of the estate's success. Their holdings include vineyards - Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Bernkasteler Lay, Bernkasteler Badstube and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. All of these sites are exclusively dedicated to growing and harvesting Riesling grapes for Joh. Jos. Depending on the specific vintage, the average annual production of wine is typically between 10,000 to 13,000 cases.
The Vineyard
Prum’s four key vineyards are all located on the same continuous slope, all on a mixture of grey and blue Devonian slate soils with varying south-to-south westerly aspects. Positioned in the heart of Mosel the vineyards are named from south to north: Bernkasteler Badstube, Graacher Himmelreich, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. These vineyards have been in continuous production for some 2000 years.
The major differences between the sites have to do with the variation in the aspect (from south to southwest) and the steepness and the depth of the soil. These are subtle differences, but make for wonderfully distinctive wines. Of course all the vineyards of J.J. Prüm are renowned, but the majestic Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard that is the most famous. The revered site lies opposite the village of Wehlen and the Estate owns seven hectares—largely planted to ungrafted wines—which has very thin topsoil over Devonian slate (in some areas of the vineyard the plants grow out of pure rock!). Wehlener Sonnenuhr has the highest pure stone content of all the Prüm vineyards, and along with neighbouring Zeltinger, the steepest of Prüm’s vineyards—with a dizzying 65-70% gradient in places. Wine writer Stuart Pigott summarises perfectly, “In top vintages the Wehlener Sonnenuhr yields the richest, silkiest, most seductive wines on the Mosel. The fame of these Rieslings is inextricably linked with that of the Joh Jos Prüm estate.”
Tasting Notes
NOSE
– Clean and lifted
Lime oil, peach skin, smoky slate, and cool herbs.
PALATE
– Creamy and crystalline
Ripe stone fruit, silky texture, and bright acidity in perfect harmony.
FINISH
– Long and flinty
Dry impression with subtle grip and a slatey, mouth-watering finish.
Reviews & Accolades
“This great Spätlese from the Graacher Himmelreich has everything we hope for from this famous site: excellent concentration and delicacy … slatey character and broad spectrum of aromas from white flowers and peaches to blackcurrants. Super‑stony and precise finish … wonderful spring‑like freshness that makes it irresistible. Drink or hold.” – James Suckling (via Stuart Pigott), jamessuckling.com, 96 points
“The 2023 Graacher Himmelreich Spätlese is very intense and open on the complex and saline nose reminiscent of crushed slate rocks … ripe and intense, dense citrus fruit intermingled with lemon aromas. Round and refined on the palate, this is a lively and savory Riesling with a firm, mineral structure and floral flavors on the complex and youthful finish … a Spätlese to be aged for at least 5+ years.” – Stephan Reinhardt, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 95 points
“Yeasty aroma with a hint of flint and a slight touch of mint. The palate showcases pure Mirabelle and gentle sweetness, with exquisite delineation and a supple sweetness highlighted by an exquisitely pure lemon tone.” – Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous, 95 points
“A smoky mineral layer hovers in the backdrop … with beautiful clarity and range to its notes of lime oil, peach and green herbs. Flinty and sultry through the long finish, which features some phenolic extract for a dry impression. Best from 2026 through 2040.” – K.B., Wine Spectator, 93 points
Finer Details:
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Riesling
Country - Germany
Region - Mosel
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 1.5L
ABV - 8%
Closure - Cork
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