Question on 2003 Prum Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese

I've recently developed a bad, and expensive impulse wine buying habit. I'll be minding my own business, walking through the shop with my list, when I spy a single bottle of a producer that I recognize in a style, or vintage I have no knowledge of. If more than one bottle is on the self I can pass right on by. If a single bottle remains I am completely powerless to prevent the purchase. Such was that case with this wine.

I have had many Prum Auslese, but never the Zeltinger Sonnenuhr. I don't have much experience with the 2003 vintage either. What can I expect as far as taste and drinking window?. I'm hoping that I can drink it sooner (today) rather than later.

[David M. Bueker]

Sorry to dash your hopes, but Prum auslese almost always requires long cellar aging. It's usually rather sulphurous/leesy when young, and needs years to shed it's baby face and become what it is meant to be.

That said, you have an option to get some enjoyment from the wine now: decant for a minimum of 12 hours. This will allow the sulphur/lees aromas to blow off, and give you a young, fat auslese to drink.

Prum was excellent in 2003. I would heartily recommend cellaring, but if you do the decanting thing you should have some fun.

David,

Thanks. I knew that I could count on you. I may go ahead and decant just because I have so many other Prums currently aging in my cellar. I will report back on either the pleasureable experience of the infantacide.

Thanks Again,

Sam:

I know well that impulsion to buy that last bottle of a wine, for I too have succumbed more often that I'd have liked. There are perhaps at least two (psychological?) explanations. First, it must be a good wine because others have depleted the stock. Second, it might offer bragging rights regarding ownership of a rare wine.

David:

A local retailer is offering four, top-shelf Donhoff bottlings at a 25% discount. They are all 2003s. To your knowledge, is there any reason these should be categorically avoided? Thanks!

Dave Mo