Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes by Meyer-Fonné – About Residual Sugar

Meyer-Fonné: A Producer from Alsace

I expected to write an article as a continuation of the one on Stagård’s Handwerk Weißburgunder, another installment in the Pinot Blanc series (here compared with Sauvignon Blanc). Instead, there’s a twist: Meyer-Fonné’s Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes is not a Pinot Blanc.

Rather, it’s a blend of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, and Pinot Gris. Originating from the A.O.C Alsace, France, this wine has a residual sugar content of 3 g/l (making it a dry wine, but we’ll discuss this later), a moderate acidity of 5 g/l, and a balanced alcohol level of 12.8°. The vines have an average age of 40 years (and here again, we revisit the discussion about the liberal use of the “vieilles vignes” label, as mentioned with Roncus’s Vecchie Vigne Bianco) and a shelf life of 5 years from bottling. Coming from a blend of different parcels with alluvial, colluvial granite, and marl-limestone soils, it is vinified with slow pneumatic pressing, prolonged fermentation, and 8 months aging on fine lees in wooden barrels. Therefore, it promises to be a full-bodied wine and not shy.

But let’s take a step back—who is Meyer-Fonné? Where are their vines located? What wines do they produce? How did it end up among my bottles?

Meyer-Fonné is a wine producer located in the French region of Alsace. Their vineyards are primarily in the areas of Katzenthal, Schoenenbourg, Dorfburg, and Wineck-Schlossberg, characterized by limestone soils and a climate ideal for cultivating grape varieties such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc. They know their soils well and are good ambassadors for them, as demonstrated by a comprehensive informational booklet sent along with their wine cases.

Alsace (which I also discuss in the review of Marcel Deiss’s Complantation) has had the misfortune, which later became a fortune in terms of quality-price ratio (with fine bottles like Meyer-Fonné’s Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes costing around ten euros), of not positioning itself well in the market. Often confusing labels, unable to clearly distinguish between dry and sweet wines, a limited brand identity, and the similarity of its wines to German ones have certainly limited its international spread.

Meyer-Fonné is not an obscure producer I discovered in some snobbish natural wine shop, nor a name that alone represents Alsace, like Trimbach. Instead, it is a refined producer, included in the catalog of Kermit Lynch, a distributor who always focuses on quality—already mentioned in the article about the Geyserville Zinfandel by Ridge Vineyards—regardless of cost—in fact, even better if the price is high.

Their wines ended up in my cellar like many others, thanks to the always reliable offering of Ferronato in Pordenone, followed by a direct order to the producer.

Meyer-Fonné Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2022

I liked the wine (definitely more than theirs Schoenenbourg Riesling). It was paired with a grilled chicken breast. Golden yellow with straw reflections, the wine offers aromas of yellow flowers, almond, and matchstick. The bouquet is serious, with few fruity notes, but hints of bitter orange and burnt sulfur emerge both on the nose and palate. The body is robust and dense after aging in wood, with a medium acidity that manifests on the tongue. Umami notes balance the residual sugar and low alcohol content, while the finish is long and characterized by notes of grapefruit and bitter orange peel. The pairing with the grilled chicken breast proved excellent, with the wine delicately cutting through the grilled meat and then exploding in its bitter finish.

How to Recognize Residual Sugar in Wine

In the technical notes of this wine, which is truly pleasant and offers excellent value for money, I was surprised by the low residual sugar content, below 5 grams per liter. Normally, when the residual sugar is this low, the palate does not perceive sweetness, but in this case, despite only 3 theoretical grams present, I detected a slight sweet note.

Residual sugar in wine can be primarily perceived through taste and tactile sensation in the mouth. Here’s how:

1. Sweetness: The presence of residual sugar gives the wine a sweetness that can be felt on the palate. This sweetness can range from light to intense depending on the amount of sugar in the wine.
2. Body: Residual sugar contributes to the body of the wine, giving it a sense of fullness and viscosity in the mouth. Wines with high residual sugar can feel heavier compared to drier ones.
3. Balance: In some cases, residual sugar can balance the acidity in the wine, creating a harmonious balance between sweetness and freshness.
4. Tactile Sensation: Residual sugar can leave a slightly oily or “unctuous” feeling in the mouth, especially in sweet wines.
5. Aftertaste: After tasting the wine, a sweet aftertaste or a lingering sweetness on the tongue can be perceived.

According to my experience, Meyer-Fonné’s Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes might have more than the indicated 3 grams per liter. As anyone familiar with wine will know, often the alcohol content, residual sugar, and other technical parameters are better understood through empirical experience rather than solely relying on technical specifications, which can sometimes be inaccurate.

Undoubtedly, we are dealing with a wine that stands out for its character, smoothness, and elegant structure. Like Alsace itself, this wine exceeds expectations related to its price and reputation, offering a unique experience with a well-defined and engaging identity.

I did not know much about this style before this bottle, another “discovery” was the Late Bottled Vintage Port 2016 from Quinta do Noval.