Eric Asimov, wine writer for The New York Times, recently posted about a bottle of 2001, Joh. Jos. Prum, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Kabinett on his blog The Pour. The main point of Mr. Asimov's piece was that this bottle actually tasted like a kabinett, unlike many wines bearing that label today. Germany's warming climate has resulted in Kabinetts that have the weight and richness of spatlese or even auslese. While delicious in their own right, these wines do not have the profile of classic kabinetts. The Asimov post reminded me of a few Prum 2001s that lay buried in my cellar and I decided to crack one open late in the day on Thanksgiving. When first released, the Prum 2001's showed strong sulphur-like aromas, but this is typical of the young wines released by this estate. Sulphur aromas are said to disappear after several years and sure enough, my bottle had a nose that was fresh and full of flowers. The wine was elegant in the mouth and nearly dry. I have been shying away from German wines lately due to the sweetness that many possess, but I was thrilled to see that the wine had become drier with age (yet not tired). As Mr. Asimov points out, it is a shame that this style of kabinett has been missing in recent vintages. The German winemakers like to say that the kabinetts made in recent vintages provide more bang for the buck. While it is true the wines are richer and more intense then one expects for their level, it does not make them a better kabinett. I enjoyed the light body and beautiful texture of the 2001 Prum and I would have been disappointed if the wine was very ripe and sweet. Some professionals have tasted the 2007's from Prum and they claim that they are similar the 2001s in style. That would be refreshing.
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