Domaine Josmeyer

Domaine Josmeyer describes its origins as a family estate founded in 1854 in Wintzenheim, near Colmar, at the heart of Alsace. The estate's own account of its history says leadership passed first from father to son, and then from father to daughters; today two sisters, Céline and Isabelle Meyer, describe themselves as walking in their father's footsteps, and the estate presents its current leaders as representatives of the family's fifth generation. In 1986, Jean Meyer created the domaine's Série Artiste, a line of wines whose labels are designed by local artists and changed every three years.

• Family estate founded in 1854 in Wintzenheim, near Colmar, Alsace
• Leadership passed father to son, then father to daughters; today's leaders, sisters Céline and Isabelle Meyer, describe themselves as walking in their father's footsteps
• The estate presents its current leadership as the family's fifth generation
• Jean Meyer created the Série Artiste (Artist Series) in 1986; labels are designed by local artists and change every three years

The vineyard is spread across 90 parcels, on plain terroirs around Wintzenheim, Turckheim and Wettolsheim and on hillside terroirs in Grand Cru Hengst and Grand Cru Brand. The estate's own pages give two different totals for the vineyard's overall size: the homepage FAQ states 24.10 hectares, while the dedicated vineyard page states 24.40 hectares. Grand Cru Hengst, in Wintzenheim, covers 53.02 hectares at 270 to 360 metres altitude, south/south-east facing, on brown calcareous, sandstone and clayey soils associated with Oligocene-epoch conglomerates, and is planted overall to Gewurztraminer (48%), Pinot Gris (35%) and Riesling (17%). Grand Cru Brand, in Turckheim, covers 57.95 hectares up to 380 metres altitude, also south/south-east facing, on a granite subsoil of quartz, feldspar and mica that produces sandy, coarse soil with a warming effect on vine roots, aiding ripening and malic-acid breakdown; it is planted overall to Riesling (41%), Gewurztraminer (31%), Pinot Gris (25%) and Muscat (3%). The estate describes cultivating both of these Grands Crus.

• 90 parcels total; vineyard size stated as 24.10 hectares (homepage FAQ) or 24.40 hectares (vineyard page)
• Plain parcels around Wintzenheim, Turckheim and Wettolsheim
• Grand Cru Hengst: 53.02 ha, Wintzenheim, 270-360m, south/south-east facing, marl-limestone-sandstone soil; Gewurztraminer 48%, Pinot Gris 35%, Riesling 17% appellation-wide
• Grand Cru Brand: 57.95 ha, Turckheim, up to 380m, south/south-east facing, granite soil; Riesling 41%, Gewurztraminer 31%, Pinot Gris 25%, Muscat 3% appellation-wide

The vineyard has been farmed organically and biodynamically since 2000 and certified since 2004. Every other row is left under natural cover crop, and seeding is practiced on more than 15 hectares to improve soil aeration through root diversity. In spring, the estate applies preparation 500P, horn-fermented cow manure combined with yarrow, chamomile, nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian, dynamized for an hour and sprayed onto the soil in late afternoon to stimulate microbial activity and root development. Preparation 501, made from transparent quartz crystal silica, is sprayed in fine droplets on developing leaves before flowering to improve photosynthesis and plant structure, and again before harvest to help preserve acidity and aid ripening. The estate follows Maria Thun's biodynamic lunar calendar, and for vine treatments uses herbal teas and decoctions, horsetail, nettle, willow, chamomile and yarrow among them, along with grapefruit seed extract or essential oils such as sweet orange, to minimize copper and sulfur use and support the vine's natural defenses.

• Organic and biodynamic farming since 2000, certified since 2004
• Cover crop on alternating rows; seeding across more than 15 hectares for root-diversity soil aeration
• Spring preparation 500P (horn-fermented cow manure and herbs); preparation 501 (quartz-crystal silica) before flowering and before harvest
• Follows Maria Thun's lunar calendar; uses herbal teas, decoctions and grapefruit seed extract to reduce copper and sulfur

Grapes are harvested 100% by hand. Whole clusters are pressed slowly at low pressure in pneumatic presses, from 6 to 12 hours depending on the cuvée, for gentle extraction of aromatic subtlety, with the juice flowing by gravity into reception tanks in the cellar. After natural static settling, the must is placed in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks where fermentation begins naturally, with no added selected yeasts and no chaptalization, before continuing largely in century-old oak foudres ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 litres. The first racking after fermentation is done in contact with air. Aging takes place mostly on fine lees in the old oak foudres over 6 to 10 months, with stabilization occurring naturally over winter. To preserve the residual carbon dioxide from fermentation, which the estate treats as a natural antioxidant, wines are bottled on biodynamic-calendar 'fruit,' 'flower' or 'root' days before the height of summer heat, with fine filtration and a small sulfur addition for stabilization.

• 100% manual harvest; whole-cluster pneumatic pressing, 6-12 hours depending on cuvée; gravity-fed to reception tanks
• Natural static settling, then fermentation begun in temperature-controlled stainless steel with no selected yeast or chaptalization, continuing in century-old oak foudres (1,000-6,000 L)
• First racking in contact with air; aging mostly on fine lees in old foudres for 6-10 months, natural winter stabilization
• Bottled on biodynamic 'fruit/flower/root' calendar days before summer heat; fine filtration plus a small sulfur addition

Domaine Josmeyer organizes its wines into six collections: Les Assemblages, La Série Artiste, Les Vins de Terroir, Les Grands Crus, Les Vins d'Exception and Les Vins de France. Several cuvée names carry their own stories. Le Kottabe, a Riesling, takes its name from the Greek 'O Kottabos,' a game played at ancient banquets. Les Folastries, part of the Série Artiste, takes its name from a Pierre de Ronsard poetry collection, 'Le livret de Folastries,' which evokes wine, women and the rose. The estate cultivates two Grands Crus, Hengst and Brand.

• Six collections: Les Assemblages, La Série Artiste, Les Vins de Terroir, Les Grands Crus, Les Vins d'Exception, Les Vins de France
• Le Kottabe (Riesling) named for the Greek 'O Kottabos,' an ancient banqueting game
• Les Folastries named for Pierre de Ronsard's poetry collection 'Le livret de Folastries'
• Two Grands Crus cultivated: Hengst and Brand

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://domaine-josmeyer.com/, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/notre-histoire, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/notre-philosophie, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/notre-vignoble, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/notre-cave, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/petit-monde-josmeyer, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/pages/contact, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/products/pinot-gris-le-fromenteau-2022, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/products/riesling-le-kottabe-2024, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/products/fleur-de-lotus, https://domaine-josmeyer.com/products/riesling-grand-cru-brand-2022. Secondary sources: https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/hengst, https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/grands-crus/brand. Last verified 2026-09-14. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.