Miel de sapin des Vosges
Also known as: Vosges fir honey, Miel de sapin des Vosges PDO
Miel de sapin des Vosges is a honeydew honey with an EU protected designation of origin (PDO) from the Vosges mountains in France, made by bees from the honeydew of Vosges fir.
Miel de sapin des Vosges is honey with an EU protected designation of origin (PDO), made by bees from the honeydew of Vosges fir (Abies pectinata) in the Vosges mountains of north-eastern France. It is dark brown with pale green highlights, balsamic and malty, and sold as liquid honey.
Aphids draw sap from the firs and turn it into honeydew, which the bees collect. Water is at most 18 %, electrical conductivity above 950 microsiemens per centimetre and HMF below 15 mg/kg. The honey must be harvested, extracted, filtered and decanted within the area, which covers communes in Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, Haute-Saône, Vosges and Territoire de Belfort.
The aroma is balsamic and the flavour very characteristic, malty and free of bitterness. The Vosges run north to south and hold back clouds from the west, so the climate is cool and humid and the soils are acidic granite and sandstone. A court in Nancy recognised "Miel des Vosges-Montagne" in 1952, and the name was registered in 1996. According to the literature it crystallises very slowly or not at all.
Why this matters to you: this is honeydew honey, not a flower honey, so expect dark colour and malty depth rather than the lightness of Acacia honey. The jar is glass with a seal that breaks on opening.
Facts
| Registered | PDO; Regulation (EC) No 1065/97 |
|---|---|
| Region | Vosges mountains: communes in five French departments |
| Raw material | Honeydew of Vosges fir (Abies pectinata) |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EC) No 1065/97; single document 2020 |
| Taste | Balsamic aroma, malty flavour, no bitterness |
| Moisture | ≤18 % |
| Colour | Dark brown with pale green highlights |
| Crystallization | Very slow or none |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Miel de sapin des Vosges → kind of → Blossom and honeydew honey → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Protected honey names, Blossom and honeydew honey
- Similar and different
- Honeydew honey, Fir honeydew honey
- Which plants it comes from
- Silver fir
Frequently asked questions
What do bees make Miel de sapin des Vosges from?
From honeydew of Vosges fir (Abies pectinata), excreted by aphids on the trees.
What are its colour and taste?
Dark brown with pale green highlights; balsamic aroma, malty flavour, no bitterness.
What are the water, conductivity and HMF limits?
Water at most 18 %, conductivity above 950 microsiemens/cm, HMF below 15 mg/kg.
What is known about the history of the name?
A court in Nancy recognised "Miel des Vosges-Montagne" in 1952; the name was registered as a designation of origin in 1996.
Is it true that fir honey is made from fir flowers?
No. It is honeydew honey: aphids take fir sap and excrete honeydew, which bees collect.
What to read next
- Silver fir — Silver fir (Abies alba) is a tall European mountain conifer whose honeydew, not nectar, gives bees the raw material of fir honey.
- Fir honeydew honey — Fir honeydew honey is a dark honey made from the honeydew that insects excrete on fir trees, with a woody, warm aroma and a very thick consistency.
Similar
Miód spadziowy z Beskidu Wyspowego · Podkarpacki miód spadziowy · Meli Elatis Menalou Vanilia · Bardejovský med · Marmaris Çam Balı · Strandzhanski manov med
ℹ️ Honey is mostly sugars: about 82 g per 100 g. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old because of the risk of infant botulism.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — EU register of geographical indications: Miel de sapin des Vosges (EUGI00000013217)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1065/97 (OJ L 156, 13.6.1997), registration of Miel de sapin des Vosges
- Single document 'Miel de sapin des Vosges' (minor amendment), OJ C 305, 15.9.2020 (EUR-Lex)