Originally from the Jura, Mathieu Apffel has been producing wine in Savoie since 2013, making small amounts of Apremont with a friend before striking out on his own in 2017. That year, he was able to acquire land and a cellar from a retiring vigneron and produce a first vintage under his name. In 2020 he was joined by wife Camille, and together they work roughly 4.5 hectares of land.
Located in the village of Saint-Baldoph, the majority of Camille and Mathieu’s land consists of Jacquere vines planted outside the winery. The vines are 30 to 70 years old, 250-350m in altitude, exposed southeast and planted on clay and limestone soils heavy in fragmented mica-schist and quartz brought by ancient glaciers. The rest of the vines are planted in the nearby village of Saint-Alban, where Jacquere grows alongside Altesse on a steep, gravelly hill. Though 80% of the production consists of white wine, a small amount of Gamay and Mondeuse is also produced.
The couple are converting the estate to organic viticulture as well as using biodynamic techniques to enhance the energy inside the farm’s ecosystem.
In the cellar, Mathieu comes from the “infusion” school of winemaking: eschewing the traditional concept of extraction, the goal is to slowly and subtly impart flavor to the juice with whole-clusters: think of it as making tea instead of brewing coffee. The fermentations take place in stainless and fiberglass tanks as well as barrels; this is more by necessity than anything else, as he inherited the vessels with the winery and is at his very beginnings. Though not dogmatic, Mathieu firmly believes in making wine without filtration or the addition of sulfur.
- Vin de Savoie Blanc Avant la Tempête
- Vin de Savoie Blanc Pandaemonium
- Vin de France Blanc Soleyane
- Vin de Savoie Blanc Terroir de Saint-Alban
- Vin de France Rouge Soleyane