Sylvaner

• Profile: Apricot, lilac, lemongrass
• Food Pairing: Thai green curry, grilled fish, choucroute, goat cheese
• Serving Temp: 48-52°F (Chilled)

Domaine Julien Meyer, located in Nothalten in Alsace's Bas-Rhin at the foot of the Vosges mountains, has been a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in the region since 1999. The estate was named after Patrick Meyer's father Julien, who passed away in 1967 when Patrick was just five years old.

Patrick Meyer inherited the family vines in 1982 at the extraordinary age of 19, making him one of the youngest vignerons to take over an Alsace estate. Initially trained in conventional methods, he quickly recognized that his mother's traditional, holistic techniques were far superior for the land and wine. With his wife Mireille, Patrick transformed the estate: synthetic products were banned by 1990, sulfur minimized from 1993, and full Demeter biodynamic certification achieved in 1999—making them pioneers in a region dominated by conventional agriculture.

Farming & Cellar: The estate's nearly 9 hectares span five distinct terroirs—Heisenberg, Heisenstein, Muenchberg Grand Cru, Zellberg, and Grittermatte—composed of gneiss, clay, shale, and sand. Patrick describes himself as a 'farmer-winemaker,' sowing cover crops instead of mowing and applying plant-based teas and compost. All seven Alsatian grape varieties are present. Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed whole-bunch, vinified plot-by-plot with native yeasts, minimal sulfur, and aged in old wood with no new oak, fining, or filtration.