Camille & Mathieu Apffel PANDAEMONIUM 2024

CAMILLE & MATHIEU APFFEL PANDAEMONIUM 2024

Camille and Mathieu Apffel are among the leading young winemakers in Savoie, working from Saint-Baldoph, at the foot of the Chartreuse mountain range. In just a few years, they have made a name for themselves with a small collection of wines that seeks to precisely express the different terroirs of the region.

Their project is based on small-scale viticulture and winemaking techniques that allow them to differentiate the plots and highlight the unique character of Savoie's soils. The range is particularly focused on traditional varieties such as Jacquère, interpreted from a fresh, precise, and minimally interventionist perspective.

Philosophy

Camille and Mathieu Apffel operate with a philosophy of respect for the soil, biodiversity, and the natural expression of the grape. They practice organic and biodynamic viticulture, and in the winery, they use indigenous yeasts to allow fermentations to occur spontaneously.

Their wines are crafted with minimal intervention, prioritizing purity, tension, freshness, and minerality. Aging on fine lees, both in tanks and used barrels, allows for enhanced texture and depth without sacrificing the characteristic energy of mountain wines. Pandaemonium is also produced without added sulfites and is bottled without fining or filtration.

Production, Vintage, Vineyard, and Variety

Pandaemonium 2024 is a Vin de Savoie white wine made from 100% Jacquère, the emblematic white grape variety of Savoie.

The grapes come from several plots located in the Apremont area, at the foot of Mont Granier, within an exceptionally unique geological landscape. The vineyard sits on land formed by the massive landslide of Mont Granier in 1248, which left behind a complex combination of limestone blocks and clay and sedimentary materials.

The harvest is done by hand, and the grapes are gently pressed. Fermentation is spontaneous, using indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged for approximately 10 months on its fine lees. Around 80% remains in stainless steel and 20% in used barrels, a combination that preserves the tension and freshness of the Jacquère while adding greater textural dimension.

The 2024 vintage was marked by an exceptionally rainy season and significant disease pressure, in addition to spring frosts that particularly affected the Pandaemonium plots. Intensive work in the vineyard allowed the quality of the grapes to be preserved, although with a considerably lower yield than in previous vintages.

The result is a particularly taut, saline, and mineral Jacquère de montane, in which the calcareous character of the terroir is remarkably evident.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pale and bright yellow with greenish reflections and a very fresh appearance.

Nose: Delicate and precise, with citrus, green apple, white flowers, and hints of alpine herbs. Over a mineral background, sensations of damp stone and chalk emerge, along with a light note of white fruit.

Palate: Dry, light, and exceptionally fresh. The acidity is lively and crisp, while the texture provides a certain roundness that balances the whole. Its salinity is particularly prominent, accompanied by a marked mineral sensation reminiscent of limestone and rock water. The finish is clean, long, and refreshing, with a remarkable ability to induce salivation.

This is an expression of Jacquère that combines lightness, tension, and mineral depth, avoiding any hint of rusticity.

Pairing

Pandaemonium 2024 is a particularly gastronomic white wine and works magnificently with shellfish, oysters, mollusks, and fish, especially in simple preparations where its salinity can integrate with the dish's marine character. It also pairs excellently with mountain cuisine, poultry, salads, vegetables, and slightly creamy dishes. Its acidity and mineral character also make it a natural companion to Alpine cheeses such as Reblochon, Tomme de Savoie, or a young Beaufort. It is equally perfect as an aperitif, served well chilled, where its direct and refreshing character immediately invites you to drink.

Pandamenium 2024 is a magnificent introduction to the world of Camille and Mathieu Apffel: a pure, fresh, and profoundly mineral Jacquère mountain wine, where the Mont Granier landscape expresses itself through tension and salinity. A remarkably easy-drinking white wine, yet with enough depth to reveal that behind its apparent lightness lies genuine vineyard work and a perfectly defined personality.