Miel de Sapin des Vosges

Honeydew honey collected by bees from Vosges fir trees within a defined mountain area spanning five French departments. The specification requires a water content of no more than 18%, electric conductivity exceeding 950 microsiemens per centimetre, and a hydroxymethylfurfural content below 15 mg/kg. The honey is dark brown with pale green highlights and must be supplied to consumers in liquid form.

About this designation

Miel de sapin des Vosges is a protected designation of origin honey produced from honeydew that aphids extract from Vosges fir trees (Abies pectinata) and that bees subsequently forage. The geographical area covers specified municipalities and cantons across five departments: Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, Haute-Saône, Vosges, and Territoire de Belfort, all within the Vosges massif, a heavily wooded mountain range characterised by acidic granite and sandstone soils and a semi-continental climate of humidity and coolness. The specification requires that harvesting, extraction, filtering, and decanting all take place within this defined area. The honey must have a water content less than or equal to 18%, an electric conductivity of over 950 microsiemens per centimetre, and a hydroxymethylfurfural content of less than 15 mg/kg. It is dark brown in colour with pale green highlights, develops balsamic aromas and a very characteristic malty flavour, and is free of bitterness and extraneous flavours. It must be supplied to consumers in liquid form in glass containers fitted with an identification mark that is destroyed on opening. The label must bear the name 'Miel de Sapin des Vosges' in the largest character size on the label, together with the European Union PDO logo, both in the same visual field on the same label. The designation was registered as a PDO on 13 June 1997 under file number PDO-FR-0204.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 13 June 1997 under file number PDO-FR-0204 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013217).
• The specification sets a maximum water content of 18%, a minimum electric conductivity of 950 microsiemens per centimetre, and a maximum hydroxymethylfurfural content of 15 mg/kg.
• Harvesting, extraction, filtering, and decanting must all take place within the defined geographical area; no step may be performed outside it.
• Each container must be glass and bear an identification mark that is destroyed on opening, providing a tamper-evident authenticity seal.

Tasting notes

Vosges fir-tree honeydew AOP — the iconic French "miel de sapin". Dark amber to mahogany color, very thick consistency, intensely aromatic with characteristic resin-pine-balsamic flavor, robust complex profile distinctly different from floral honeys.

HoReCa use

Plateau de fromages (premium pairing with Munster, aged Comté, Gruyère); in tea and tisanes; pastry use for distinctive flavour; pairs with Vin Jaune and Champagne.

Packaging

• glass-jar-250g
• glass-jar-500g
• gift-pack-250g