The story begins in 1747 with their ancestor, who decided to invest in a piece of land to work the vine. With great fascination and curiosity, he cultivated the vine to harvest its fruit, the grape. This passion has been passed on from generation to generation until today. Seven generations later, the Domaine works 13 hectares of vines, spread over 5 communes and a hundred or so plots. Today, Michel Fonné has been at the head of the estate since 1989. He himself took over from his uncle René Barth, a winegrower, by adding the land of his parents, winegrowers.

Vendanges Tardives

Since 1984, the Vendanges Tardives label has been used to designate great sweet wines made from berries harvested at over-ripeness. The development of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) on the berries initiates an evaporation phenomenon, which favors the concentration of sugar and aromas.

Winemaking

The work in the vineyard is spread out over the whole year and starts with pruning (double Guyot), followed by the descent of the woods, arching, green work (de-budding) and manual tying-up. At the same time, work the soil is done and the grass is mown regularly while limiting soil compaction. Grapes are usually picked in October. The harvested fruits are introduced into a pneumatic press where the juice is left for a few hours in contact with the skin (which contains the aromas) for maceration; a process used for aromatic grape varieties. The juice is then slowly extracted and sent to a wooden cask. The most important stage then begins: fermentation. This degradation of sugars into alcohol, accomplished by the natural yeasts contained in the grapes, takes place over a few months. The wine thus obtained is then matured on fine lees until bottling.

Tasting notes

To the eye, we observe an intense golden yellow color. On the nose, we find on the Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives notes of candied fruits and honey. During the tasting, we discover a full and silky mellow wine. The aromas of candied fruits in the mouth as well as the floral expression of the rose make this wine very aromatic and give it a very long persistence.

Food pairing

This sweet wine is easily appreciated at the beginning of a meal, as an aperitif. Afterwards, because of its power, it can accompany foie gras in terrine or pan-fried. Cheeses of character such as Munster, a typical cheese of the region, or Roquefort can be enjoyed with this wine. Finally, it can crown a dinner with a sweet chocolate or fruity sweetness.