July saw the 2023 scholarship alumni, including Scholar Jupiter Humphrey-Bishop and some of the GSS trustees, make a study trip to Germany’s Mosel Valley, where they were hosted by winemaker SA Prüm – a family that has been cultivating vineyards and producing wine in the region since 1156.
Welcomed by Raymond Prum, his wife Pirjo and daughter Saskia, the first female Prüm to manage the estate, Team Gold arrived at the famous winery to a relaxed barbecue before kicking off their first day with a tour of S.A. Prüm’s vineyards.
The steep slopes of the Mosel are exclusively planted with Riesling, with a balance of old and young vines. The day included a walk up to the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, the vines of which benefit from slate soil, and gets its name from the sundial built there in 1842 by Jodocus Prüm.
Team Gold picnicked among the vineyards between learning about how the brand employs organic fertilisation, hand-picking, gentle pressing, and wild fermentation to ensure the purest expression of the fruit. They were later treated to a meal at S.A. Prüm where they were able to taste a selection of the wines they had learned about that day.
The last day included a tour of S.A. Prüm’s cellars and the traditional 1,000-litre oak barrels, which provide a subtle micro-oxidation which gives the wine structure, as well as further tastings of the variety of wines produced by the business including some directly from the barrel, and a light lunch at the winery.
The final stop was a visit to the Medieval old town of Bernkastel, with time to explore its historic market square.
