A Champagne House with a strong winegrowing identity
The vineyard plot that resonates most deeply with us is found in the middle of the village of Pierry. For over a century, the combination of an exceptional terroir and our winegrowing expertise has gradually forged the identity of an iconic champagne: Clos Mandois, the rare and distinguished expression of a pure Pinot Meunier.
A vineyard unlike any other
When Victor-Auguste Mandois relocated the wine domaine to Pierry in 1906, he immediately spotted the potential of the vines growing in the middle of the village. Rooted in the white chalk of the Upper Campanian, covered by a layer of alluvium and with an excellent southern exposure, these vines showed immense promise. In 1905, he acquired about half a hectare, laying the foundations of what would become Clos Mandois.
Generation after generation, our family has carefully built on this heritage. In 1950, Michel Mandois acquired another half hectare of these vines in the heart of this exceptional Premier Cru Meunier terroir. In 1982, he and his son Claude gave Clos Mandois its present form.
“This perfectly exposed 1.5-hectare vineyard plot produces grapes of exceptional ripeness in the best vintages. Rich in sugar and with just the right balance of acidity, they are ideal for high-end winemaking.”
Claude Mandois
The birth of an iconic wine
At the turn of the millennium, Claude Mandois was carefully tending his vines and already exploring the mechanical, nonchemical techniques associated with organic viticulture. Although the Clos wines were vinified separately, they were being used in several of our champagne blends. After tasting these distinctive wines, he realised they deserved their own dedicated bottle.
After extensive trials in 2001 and 2002, he chose the 2004 vintage to create the first ever single-vineyard Clos Mandois champagne. This 100% Meunier cuvée would not be unveiled to the general public until 2015, after ten years of ageing in our historic cellars…
With the remarkable Clos Mandois, Claude Mandois has revived the noble essence of the Meunier grape.
The art of the wait
Clos Mandois is an exceptional champagne, produced in small quantities and only in the very best vintages.
Our uncompromising quality standards are combined with an exceptionally long ageing process, designed to create a champagne that would appeal to connoisseurs of fine gastronomy: after more than a decade resting on its lees deep in our Pierry cellars, the wine gains body while refining its balance and aromatic complexity.