The producer
Claude Mandois is the ninth generation managing the independent, family-owned house. He expanded the vineyards from 30 to 37 hectares. Trials in Clos Mandois include cover crops, mechanical tillage, organic treatments and natural fertilisers; certification began with 23 hectares nearest Pierry in 2020. Before harvest, Claude tastes grapes across the estate vineyards to set picking dates, while stainless steel, enamel, wood and concrete vessels allow separate vinification by terroir.
Known for
Origine blends and Blanc de Blancs
Notable facts
- Brut Origine blends 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier from a 2022 base supplemented by 2021, 2020 and 2019 wines.
- The 2021 Blanc de Blancs has a fine, delicate mousse, with liquorice and almond moving toward lychee and a long, saline, refreshing finish.
- Rosé Origine includes 5% saignée rosé and 5% red wine; its silky, well-defined entry leads to wild strawberry, candied orange peel, tartness and bitterness.
From the atlas
Champagne Mandois
At A Glance
| | |
|--|--|
| Region | Champagne |
| Base | Pierry |
| Ownership | Independent, family-owned |
| Main grapes | Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir |
| Estate grape supply | 70% |
The Producer
The Mandois family’s Champagne history reaches Jean Mandois in 1735. In 1905, the house moved to Pierry, where Victor-Auguste Mandois installed a press and cellar.
Claude Mandois is the ninth generation managing the house. He expanded the family vineyards from 30 to 37 hectares. In the early 2000s, he shifted the vineyard program toward ecological methods. Trials in Clos Mandois include cover crops, mechanical tillage, organic treatments and natural fertilisers, with practices adapted plot by plot. Organic certification began with 23 hectares nearest Pierry in 2020.
Before harvest, Claude tastes grapes across the estate vineyards to determine picking dates. Stainless steel, enamel, wood and concrete vessels in different sizes allow individual terroirs to be vinified separately.
Place
Individual Chardonnay plots rooted in Champagne’s chalk soils supply the Blanc de Blancs collection. The 2021 Blanc de Blancs draws from seven villages: Vertus, Chouilly, Pierry, Monthelon, Beaunay, Épernay and Moussy.
Wines
The range places two multi-year Origine blends, Brut Origine and Rosé Origine, alongside the Chardonnay-only 2021 Blanc de Blancs.
Brut Origine combines 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. Its 2022 base is supplemented by wines from 2021, 2020 and 2019. Fermentation and maturation take place 90% in stainless steel and 10% in oak, followed by more than three years on lees; dosage is 7 g/l. White fruit, peach and apricot open the nose, while aeration brings honey and toasted-hazelnut notes. The palate begins fresh, then becomes full-bodied and luscious with fruit and pastry aromas.
The 2021 Blanc de Blancs is fermented and matured 80% in stainless steel and 20% in large wooden vats, using natural yeasts. It spends more than four years on lees and carries a dosage of 4 g/l. A fresh attack and fine, delicate mousse lead through liquorice, almond and lychee to a long, saline, refreshing finish.
Rosé Origine blends 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from a 2022 base supplemented by 2021, 2020 and 2019 wines. It incorporates 5% saignée rosé and 5% red wine, with a dosage of 8 g/l. Its silky, well-defined entry carries wild strawberry and candied orange peel, with tartness and bitterness supporting the persistent finish.
Sources
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/our-family-history/
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/our-vineyards/
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/organic-growing/
- https://fr.gaultmillau.com/en/wineries/mandois
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/our-wines/
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/vin/brut-origine/
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/vin/blanc-de-blancs-21/
- https://www.champagne-mandois.fr/en/vin/rose-origine/