<p>Originally from the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="560">Jura</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Mathieu Apffel has been producing wine in <glossary title="925">Savoie</glossary> since 2013, making small amounts of <glossary title="1211">Apremont</glossary> with a friend before striking out on his own in 2017. That year, he was able to acquire land and a <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary> from a retiring <glossary title="1089">vigneron</glossary> and produce a first <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> under his name. In 2020 he was joined by wife Camille, and together they work roughly 4.5 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of land.</p>
<p>Located in the village of Saint-Baldoph, the majority of Camille and Mathieu's land consists of <glossary title="555">Jacquère</glossary> vines planted outside the winery: a serene three <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> surrounded by quaint houses and, not too far in the distance, the imposing Massif de Chartreuse. The vines are 30 to 70 years old, 250-350m in altitude, <glossary title="430">exposed</glossary> southeast and planted on <glossary title="301">clay</glossary> and <glossary title="596">limestone</glossary> soils heavy in fragmented <glossary title="655">mica-schist</glossary> and <glossary title="842">quartz</glossary> brought by ancient glaciers. The rest of the vines are planted in the nearby village of Saint-Alban, where <glossary title="555">Jacquère</glossary> grows alongside <glossary title="96">Altesse</glossary> on a steep, <glossary title="504">gravelly</glossary> hill. Though 80% of the production consists of white wine, a small amount of <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> and <glossary title="484">Mondeuse</glossary> is also produced.</p>
<p>Though not abusive in his farming, the prior owner worked <glossary title="331">conventionally</glossary> and the couple are <glossary title="332">converting</glossary> the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary> to <glossary term="Organic" title="746">organic</glossary> <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticulture</glossary> as well as using <glossary term="Biodynamic" title="160">biodynamic</glossary> techniques to enhance the energy inside the farm’s <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Ecosystem" title="414">ecosystem</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> 100% of the work is done manually and 2021 marked the first <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> of superficial soil work between the rows.</p>
<p>In the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Mathieu comes from the "<glossary title="1378">infusion</glossary>" school of winemaking: eschewing the traditional concept of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="433">extraction</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the goal is to slowly and subtly impart flavor to the juice with <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1124">whole-clusters</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> think of it as making tea instead of brewing coffee. The <glossary title="441">fermentations</glossary> take place in <glossary title="986">stainless</glossary> and <glossary title="445">fiberglass</glossary> <glossary title="1140">tanks</glossary> as well as <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary>; this is more by necessity than anything else, as he inherited the <glossary title="1160">vessels</glossary> with the winery and is at his very beginnings. Though not dogmatic, Mathieu firmly believes in making wine without <glossary title="447">filtration</glossary> or the addition of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary><span>:</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>"Since I started making wine in 2013, I've always used <strong><glossary title="538"><em>native yeasts</em></glossary></strong>, but would gently </em><glossary title="447"><em>filter</em></glossary><em> the wines and add </em><glossary title="993"><em>sulfur</em></glossary><em> at <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185"><em>bottling</em></glossary><span>.</span></span></span> At a certain point I started realizing that I loved the wine BEFORE it was <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185"><em>bottled</em></glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The finished product felt like it was stripped of something essential. I think the solids in the wine are super important. So I started experimenting, failed quite a bit but now feel comfortable working this way."</em></p>
producer visit05.11.2021
Camille and Mathieu Apffel Visit
A visit with Camille and Mathieu Apffel from August, 2021
<p><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>One of the last visits of our 2021 summer tour was with Camille et Mathieu Apffel.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/dc/53/dc539de6dcb2a64beef82db08765b94c.jpg" /></p>
<p>The big news is that the couple got married over the pandemic and are now working together; they currently have no employees and share the entirety of the workload. In such, the 2020 <glossary term="Wine Label" title="573">labels</glossary> will now feature Camille's name along with Mathieu's.</p>
<p>We started our visit in the <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> vines surrounding the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> in the village of Saint-Baldoph. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e9/6a/e96a791e7882e32af04a62947fc7bf00.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/ee/34/ee345425fcb287f664d6882c04e38df4.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d5/29/d5296f7a3c670a1c9f44f4bf14f1ce46.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/a2/d3a295ac7e784e873565c7c6bbf12dd5.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b5/1b/b51b9a09efaf21af3d6348676251e96c.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/f8/2e/f82e070f2397ff38d857d4dcf5fe6c52.jpg" /></p>
<p>Unlike so many of the producers we visited over the summer, Camille and Mathieu avoided major issues and there wasn’t much <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><em>“It’s the first year the vines are being vigorous since the disastrous 2019 </em><glossary term="Hail" title="1136"><em>hail</em></glossary><em>.”</em></p>
<p>Mathieu estimated that if August went smoothly without too much rain, they would actually have a good crop in 2021. The day we visited started overcast but eventually became sunny and clear, a rare moment of sunshine in an endlessly rainy spring and summer. </p>
<p><em>"We had good weather the week of </em><glossary term="Flowering" title="1179"><em>flowering</em></glossary><em> and this is the first nice week since April. "</em></p>
<p>2021 was the first year the couple started working the soils, just superficially and between the rows. When Mathieu took over the land it had been worked <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Conventional Farming" title="331">conventionally</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> so he didn't want to shock the vines which were already going through a <glossary term="Conversion" title="332">conversion</glossary> to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Organic" title="746">organics</glossary><span>.</span></span></span>The next big project for 2022 is to start replanting a lot of missing vines of <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> in this main sector of vines.</p>
<p>From Saint-Baldoph we agreed to visit Saint-Alban, a small sector where the Apffel produce a wine of the same name. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a8/ef/a8efd3e7dc9e09c3b28bc568b12f34ea.jpg" /></p>
<p>To get there from the winery, you have to drive through the town center and by its four hair salons (seems a bit much to me). It's very quick to get there by car but on a tractor it's a bit of a trek. Camille mused:</p>
<p><em>"It's slow but really fun and I get a kick out of people looking at me driving through normal streets on this big machine."</em></p>
<p>Due to construction, we got stuck in traffic and had to find an alternate route. In the end a five minute drive took almost half an hour. But it was totally worth it. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/12/5212be641628dcfd146ef279a1169d02.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e3/f7/e3f7ac1115403cd913dcdcde955dd60e.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/5b/31/5b313b52706ed60c4e0b4186e9798e7a.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a9/1c/a91cea23e459bec1faddc4123432ac51.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/37/7e/377e5af9c5fad8c11e5e4286f04fd586.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b8/ee/b8eed284074cc815f30a987cddb6ebde.jpg" /></p>
<p>In total Camille and Mathieu cultivate about one <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> of vines in Saint-Alban, mostly in <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Altesse" title="96">Altesse</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The soils are are pure <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> and the <glossary term="Acidity" title="71">acidities</glossary> are always very high. There is also a tiny bit of <glossary term="Persan" title="1450">Persan</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Douce Noir" title="1451">Douce Noir</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> an old red variety.</p>
<p><em>“It’s unique but very sensitive to </em><glossary term="Mildew" title="1137"><em>mildew</em></glossary><em>. When you see what happens to it, you understand why past generations have progressively phased out grapes that suffer from illness.”</em></p>
<p>Saint-Alban is <glossary term="Exposition" title="430">exposed</glossary> full south and as you can see from the pictures, is completely surrounded by woods and forest. Well, sort of... For years, there has been a huge push to build houses on this hill and constructible terrain is now worth much more than its <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticultural</glossary> equivalent. </p>
<p><em>“The whole area is under big pressure; people want houses and not vines. Ironically they want to live here because of the landscape. But then they go and destroy it, making it a little less beautiful.”</em></p>
<p>Case in point: in early 2020 Mathieu served us a 2019 <glossary term="Nouveau/Primeur" title="725">primeur</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> made from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> on Saint-Alban. Dubbed "Couleur d'Automne" (I was obsessed with it), it ended up being a one and only <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Shortly after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> it was announced the vines would be ripped out to build this:</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/82/14/821415d540c94c609bba16340d16d5e9.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>"We were renting the vines. They only needed to tear out maybe half of the </em> <glossary term="Parcel" title="760"><em>parcel</em></glossary> <em>for the house but the owner insisted everything should be ripped out. It's a shame because </em><glossary term="Gamay" title="478"><em>Gamay</em></glossary><em> vines with a bit of age are very rare here at this point."</em></p>
<p>We then drove back the the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste the 2020's, some <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> and others as <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Tank Sample" title="1008">brut de cuve</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d4/9d/d49d6d677eb7763912db37f302293db7.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/3b/7d/3b7d55cecf5b38c38ac9ec2d66972fa0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/19/cb/19cb0ccecb22bf360da686101d634747.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/39/e2/39e247f5f785cf27337fe97215be771f.jpg" /></p>
<p>Familiar wines included "Avant la Tempête", "Terroir en Saint-Alban" and their <glossary term="Mondeuse" title="484">Mondeuse</glossary> which has been renamed "Ô Narcisse" in 2020. We also tasted two new <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a white and a red both called "Soleyane". Soleyane is the name of a small <glossary term="Bugey" title="208">Bugey</glossary> <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> that made its last wine in 2019. They retired after that <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> and have let Camille and Mathieu pick and <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinify</glossary> the grapes in 2020. The vines are an hour away from Saint-Baldoph and the <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> are totally different, more heavy <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything was tasting great, and we all agreed on the drive back how talented a winemaker Mathieu is.</p>
<p>Over lunch we also got to try two <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary> that never made it to the US, "Rouzan Blanc" and "L' Ami Francis". Both are one-off wines, the former being from <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> that didn't make "Avant la Tempête" in 2020 and the latter literally from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> from their friend Francis who'd just started his project but wasn't in capacity to make wine in 2019. Both were delicious. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/d5/52d5580f08097349cbda231ead22f0e2.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/77/8a/778a6275a1ebd9a1f4907e459ab0c14c.jpg" /></p>
<p>Over a lovely lunch, Mathieu opened up one of his last bottles of "Couleurs D'Automne" because we'd gushed about how special a wine it was. I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to try it again, making the visit all the more special. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/27/d3271fadd676f9eb1e579ffff27a93f2.jpg" /></p>
harvest report16.12.2021
A Globally Satisfying 2021 for Camille and Mathieu Apffel
<p><em><strong>October 15th, 2021.</strong></em></p>
<p>We just wrapped up our <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything is <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermenting</glossary> happily in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>Globally we are very happy with the 2021 <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> given the climactic hardships we had to endure. The quantity is solid and the quality is excellent. It was a late ripening year so we got beautiful autumnal <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Maturation" title="639">maturities</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The <glossary term="alcoholic potential" title="1381">potentials</glossary> are low, <glossary term="Acidity" title="71">acidity</glossary> is high and there is already a lovely balance in the juices. It's a bit early to really know what the wines will become but I'm expecting a result similar to 2019. </p>
<p>The only disaster of sorts: the new vines we started working in the <glossary term="Bugey" title="208">Bugey</glossary> in the 2020 <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> ("Soleyane" Blanc and Rouge) were devastated <span class="zalup"><span><span>-</span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary> </span></span>for the whites, <glossary term="Mildew" title="1137">mildew</glossary> for the reds. Unfortunately we won't be producing either "Soleyane" in 2021. <br />
<br />
For the rest of the haul, the volumes are normal for "Terroir de Saint Alban", very good for "Avant la Tempête" and low for the <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Mondeuse" title="484">Mondeuse</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>The <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> puts an end to a very peculiar 2021. In the end our time picking reflected to the rest of the year, as constant rain made working in the field difficult. We nonetheless finished under a magnificent October sun with magnificent grapes and a wonderful team. We shared great moments of friendship and good humor that will no doubt be transmitted to the future wines...</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//922/25/d7/25d7ff293e7274494fdcf9fa9769c132.jpg" /></p>
<p>Originally from the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="560">Jura</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Mathieu Apffel has been producing wine in <glossary title="925">Savoie</glossary> since 2013, making small amounts of <glossary title="1211">Apremont</glossary> with a friend before striking out on his own in 2017. That year, he was able to acquire land and a <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary> from a retiring <glossary title="1089">vigneron</glossary> and produce a first <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> under his name. In 2020 he was joined by wife Camille, and together they work roughly 4.5 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> of land.</p>
<p>Located in the village of Saint-Baldoph, the majority of Camille and Mathieu's land consists of <glossary title="555">Jacquère</glossary> vines planted outside the winery: a serene three <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> surrounded by quaint houses and, not too far in the distance, the imposing Massif de Chartreuse. The vines are 30 to 70 years old, 250-350m in altitude, <glossary title="430">exposed</glossary> southeast and planted on <glossary title="301">clay</glossary> and <glossary title="596">limestone</glossary> soils heavy in fragmented <glossary title="655">mica-schist</glossary> and <glossary title="842">quartz</glossary> brought by ancient glaciers. The rest of the vines are planted in the nearby village of Saint-Alban, where <glossary title="555">Jacquère</glossary> grows alongside <glossary title="96">Altesse</glossary> on a steep, <glossary title="504">gravelly</glossary> hill. Though 80% of the production consists of white wine, a small amount of <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> and <glossary title="484">Mondeuse</glossary> is also produced.</p>
<p>Though not abusive in his farming, the prior owner worked <glossary title="331">conventionally</glossary> and the couple are <glossary title="332">converting</glossary> the <glossary title="427">estate</glossary> to <glossary term="Organic" title="746">organic</glossary> <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticulture</glossary> as well as using <glossary term="Biodynamic" title="160">biodynamic</glossary> techniques to enhance the energy inside the farm’s <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Ecosystem" title="414">ecosystem</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> 100% of the work is done manually and 2021 marked the first <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> of superficial soil work between the rows.</p>
<p>In the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="254">cellar</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> Mathieu comes from the "<glossary title="1378">infusion</glossary>" school of winemaking: eschewing the traditional concept of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="433">extraction</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> the goal is to slowly and subtly impart flavor to the juice with <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="1124">whole-clusters</glossary><span>:</span></span></span> think of it as making tea instead of brewing coffee. The <glossary title="441">fermentations</glossary> take place in <glossary title="986">stainless</glossary> and <glossary title="445">fiberglass</glossary> <glossary title="1140">tanks</glossary> as well as <glossary title="142">barrels</glossary>; this is more by necessity than anything else, as he inherited the <glossary title="1160">vessels</glossary> with the winery and is at his very beginnings. Though not dogmatic, Mathieu firmly believes in making wine without <glossary title="447">filtration</glossary> or the addition of <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="993">sulfur</glossary><span>:</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>"Since I started making wine in 2013, I've always used <strong><glossary title="538"><em>native yeasts</em></glossary></strong>, but would gently </em><glossary title="447"><em>filter</em></glossary><em> the wines and add </em><glossary title="993"><em>sulfur</em></glossary><em> at <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185"><em>bottling</em></glossary><span>.</span></span></span> At a certain point I started realizing that I loved the wine BEFORE it was <span class="zalup"><span><glossary title="185"><em>bottled</em></glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The finished product felt like it was stripped of something essential. I think the solids in the wine are super important. So I started experimenting, failed quite a bit but now feel comfortable working this way."</em></p>
Article
producer visit05.11.2021
A visit with Camille and Mathieu Apffel from August, 2021
<p><em><strong>Words and photos by Jules Dressner.</strong></em></p>
<p>One of the last visits of our 2021 summer tour was with Camille et Mathieu Apffel.</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/dc/53/dc539de6dcb2a64beef82db08765b94c.jpg" /></p>
<p>The big news is that the couple got married over the pandemic and are now working together; they currently have no employees and share the entirety of the workload. In such, the 2020 <glossary term="Wine Label" title="573">labels</glossary> will now feature Camille's name along with Mathieu's.</p>
<p>We started our visit in the <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> vines surrounding the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> in the village of Saint-Baldoph. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e9/6a/e96a791e7882e32af04a62947fc7bf00.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/ee/34/ee345425fcb287f664d6882c04e38df4.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d5/29/d5296f7a3c670a1c9f44f4bf14f1ce46.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/a2/d3a295ac7e784e873565c7c6bbf12dd5.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b5/1b/b51b9a09efaf21af3d6348676251e96c.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/f8/2e/f82e070f2397ff38d857d4dcf5fe6c52.jpg" /></p>
<p>Unlike so many of the producers we visited over the summer, Camille and Mathieu avoided major issues and there wasn’t much <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><em>“It’s the first year the vines are being vigorous since the disastrous 2019 </em><glossary term="Hail" title="1136"><em>hail</em></glossary><em>.”</em></p>
<p>Mathieu estimated that if August went smoothly without too much rain, they would actually have a good crop in 2021. The day we visited started overcast but eventually became sunny and clear, a rare moment of sunshine in an endlessly rainy spring and summer. </p>
<p><em>"We had good weather the week of </em><glossary term="Flowering" title="1179"><em>flowering</em></glossary><em> and this is the first nice week since April. "</em></p>
<p>2021 was the first year the couple started working the soils, just superficially and between the rows. When Mathieu took over the land it had been worked <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Conventional Farming" title="331">conventionally</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> so he didn't want to shock the vines which were already going through a <glossary term="Conversion" title="332">conversion</glossary> to <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Organic" title="746">organics</glossary><span>.</span></span></span>The next big project for 2022 is to start replanting a lot of missing vines of <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> in this main sector of vines.</p>
<p>From Saint-Baldoph we agreed to visit Saint-Alban, a small sector where the Apffel produce a wine of the same name. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a8/ef/a8efd3e7dc9e09c3b28bc568b12f34ea.jpg" /></p>
<p>To get there from the winery, you have to drive through the town center and by its four hair salons (seems a bit much to me). It's very quick to get there by car but on a tractor it's a bit of a trek. Camille mused:</p>
<p><em>"It's slow but really fun and I get a kick out of people looking at me driving through normal streets on this big machine."</em></p>
<p>Due to construction, we got stuck in traffic and had to find an alternate route. In the end a five minute drive took almost half an hour. But it was totally worth it. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/12/5212be641628dcfd146ef279a1169d02.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/e3/f7/e3f7ac1115403cd913dcdcde955dd60e.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/5b/31/5b313b52706ed60c4e0b4186e9798e7a.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/a9/1c/a91cea23e459bec1faddc4123432ac51.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/37/7e/377e5af9c5fad8c11e5e4286f04fd586.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/b8/ee/b8eed284074cc815f30a987cddb6ebde.jpg" /></p>
<p>In total Camille and Mathieu cultivate about one <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectare</glossary> of vines in Saint-Alban, mostly in <glossary term="Jacquère" title="555">Jacquère</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Altesse" title="96">Altesse</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The soils are are pure <glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary> and the <glossary term="Acidity" title="71">acidities</glossary> are always very high. There is also a tiny bit of <glossary term="Persan" title="1450">Persan</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Douce Noir" title="1451">Douce Noir</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> an old red variety.</p>
<p><em>“It’s unique but very sensitive to </em><glossary term="Mildew" title="1137"><em>mildew</em></glossary><em>. When you see what happens to it, you understand why past generations have progressively phased out grapes that suffer from illness.”</em></p>
<p>Saint-Alban is <glossary term="Exposition" title="430">exposed</glossary> full south and as you can see from the pictures, is completely surrounded by woods and forest. Well, sort of... For years, there has been a huge push to build houses on this hill and constructible terrain is now worth much more than its <glossary term="Viticulture" title="1103">viticultural</glossary> equivalent. </p>
<p><em>“The whole area is under big pressure; people want houses and not vines. Ironically they want to live here because of the landscape. But then they go and destroy it, making it a little less beautiful.”</em></p>
<p>Case in point: in early 2020 Mathieu served us a 2019 <glossary term="Nouveau/Primeur" title="725">primeur</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay" title="478">Gamay</glossary> made from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> on Saint-Alban. Dubbed "Couleur d'Automne" (I was obsessed with it), it ended up being a one and only <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottling</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Shortly after <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> it was announced the vines would be ripped out to build this:</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/82/14/821415d540c94c609bba16340d16d5e9.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>"We were renting the vines. They only needed to tear out maybe half of the </em> <glossary term="Parcel" title="760"><em>parcel</em></glossary> <em>for the house but the owner insisted everything should be ripped out. It's a shame because </em><glossary term="Gamay" title="478"><em>Gamay</em></glossary><em> vines with a bit of age are very rare here at this point."</em></p>
<p>We then drove back the the <glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary> to taste the 2020's, some <glossary term="Bottling" title="185">bottled</glossary> and others as <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Tank Sample" title="1008">brut de cuve</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d4/9d/d49d6d677eb7763912db37f302293db7.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/3b/7d/3b7d55cecf5b38c38ac9ec2d66972fa0.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/19/cb/19cb0ccecb22bf360da686101d634747.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/39/e2/39e247f5f785cf27337fe97215be771f.jpg" /></p>
<p>Familiar wines included "Avant la Tempête", "Terroir en Saint-Alban" and their <glossary term="Mondeuse" title="484">Mondeuse</glossary> which has been renamed "Ô Narcisse" in 2020. We also tasted two new <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary><span>,</span></span></span> a white and a red both called "Soleyane". Soleyane is the name of a small <glossary term="Bugey" title="208">Bugey</glossary> <glossary term="Estate" title="427">estate</glossary> that made its last wine in 2019. They retired after that <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> and have let Camille and Mathieu pick and <glossary term="Vinification" title="1104">vinify</glossary> the grapes in 2020. The vines are an hour away from Saint-Baldoph and the <glossary term="Terroir" title="1026">terroirs</glossary> are totally different, more heavy <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> and <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Limestone" title="596">limestone</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything was tasting great, and we all agreed on the drive back how talented a winemaker Mathieu is.</p>
<p>Over lunch we also got to try two <glossary term="Cuvée" title="363">cuvées</glossary> that never made it to the US, "Rouzan Blanc" and "L' Ami Francis". Both are one-off wines, the former being from <glossary term="Vat/Tank" title="1140">tanks</glossary> that didn't make "Avant la Tempête" in 2020 and the latter literally from a <glossary term="Parcel" title="760">parcel</glossary> from their friend Francis who'd just started his project but wasn't in capacity to make wine in 2019. Both were delicious. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/52/d5/52d5580f08097349cbda231ead22f0e2.jpg" /><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/77/8a/778a6275a1ebd9a1f4907e459ab0c14c.jpg" /></p>
<p>Over a lovely lunch, Mathieu opened up one of his last bottles of "Couleurs D'Automne" because we'd gushed about how special a wine it was. I didn't think I'd ever get a chance to try it again, making the visit all the more special. </p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//887/d3/27/d3271fadd676f9eb1e579ffff27a93f2.jpg" /></p>
<p><em><strong>October 15th, 2021.</strong></em></p>
<p>We just wrapped up our <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> Everything is <glossary term="Fermentation" title="441">fermenting</glossary> happily in the <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Cellar" title="254">cellar</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>Globally we are very happy with the 2021 <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> given the climactic hardships we had to endure. The quantity is solid and the quality is excellent. It was a late ripening year so we got beautiful autumnal <span class="zalup"><span><glossary term="Maturation" title="639">maturities</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> The <glossary term="alcoholic potential" title="1381">potentials</glossary> are low, <glossary term="Acidity" title="71">acidity</glossary> is high and there is already a lovely balance in the juices. It's a bit early to really know what the wines will become but I'm expecting a result similar to 2019. </p>
<p>The only disaster of sorts: the new vines we started working in the <glossary term="Bugey" title="208">Bugey</glossary> in the 2020 <glossary term="Vintage" title="1109">vintage</glossary> ("Soleyane" Blanc and Rouge) were devastated <span class="zalup"><span><span>-</span><glossary term="Frost" title="1135">frost</glossary> </span></span>for the whites, <glossary term="Mildew" title="1137">mildew</glossary> for the reds. Unfortunately we won't be producing either "Soleyane" in 2021. <br />
<br />
For the rest of the haul, the volumes are normal for "Terroir de Saint Alban", very good for "Avant la Tempête" and low for the <span class="zalup"><span> <glossary term="Mondeuse" title="484">Mondeuse</glossary><span>.</span></span></span> </p>
<p>The <glossary term="Harvest" title="521">harvest</glossary> puts an end to a very peculiar 2021. In the end our time picking reflected to the rest of the year, as constant rain made working in the field difficult. We nonetheless finished under a magnificent October sun with magnificent grapes and a wonderful team. We shared great moments of friendship and good humor that will no doubt be transmitted to the future wines...</p>
<p><img src="https://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article//922/25/d7/25d7ff293e7274494fdcf9fa9769c132.jpg" /></p>
