2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/21/2020)
It's hard to put into words what drinking wines like 2001 Prüm Auslese is like for me. First off there's the warping effect of modern (post 2004) German Riesling, where the pradikats often meant nothing. Going back in time to the earlier days of climate change in German wine means recalibrating what it means to be Auslese. In 2019 this might be Kabinett, but not from Prüm. If there has been one address where some degree of classical meaning has been maintained, it's Prüm. Yes there have been changes, but Prüm Auslese remains an easily drinkable, and food-friendly wine. Sweetness and acidity play like kittens in the same box, rolling around, so that it's not clear where one stops and the other begins. The specific fruit descriptors have little meaning, as the palate is a seamless whole. From a cold cellar it's still a young wine, with little in the way of tertiary development. No spice yet, no orange peel, just freshness, with even a hint of youthful sponti aroma gliding over the top. It's a joy to drink, even if it's just a teenager. There are decades to go before it becomes mature, before it speaks with the stature it is born to carry. Save some if you have it, and have the time to spare. I know I won't outlive this wine.