Location and Landscape
Pierry is a commune in the Marne department in the French region of Grand Est, in the arrondissement and urban area of Épernay. The commune lies directly south of Épernay in the Coteaux Sud d’Épernay wine-growing area and belongs to the region Champagne.
Climate and Soils
The climate is shaped by oceanic and continental influences. Moderate average temperatures prevail, while there is also a risk of winter frosts and summer thunderstorms. The vineyards are on slopes with different orientations and with distinct soils in the upper, middle and lower slope sections.
In central Pierry, the Clos Mandois parcel lies on white upper campanian chalk rock, which is covered by an alluvial layer. In the lower slope area, there is clayey silt with small flints and chalk veins close to the surface.
Champagne and Grape Varieties
Pierry is approved as a Premier-Cru commune for the Champagne appellation. The wines of the appellation are produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier and, through a regulated second fermentation in the bottle, developed into sparkling wines. For the Clos Mandois parcel, a single-varietal wine made from Meunier from Premier-Cru vines is documented.
History and Winegrowing
Victor-Auguste Mandois founded the winery in Pierry after acquiring around half a hectare of vines there in 1905; in 1950, a further half hectare was added by Michel Mandois. The commune’s history names the Benedictine monk Frère Oudart as an early local producer of Champagne; his grave is located in the church Saint-Julien.
The wine-growing area of Champagne Mandois is certified for organic farming. In Pierry’s vineyards, mechanical procedures for organic viticulture were already tested in the early 2000s. Selected vintages of Clos Mandois are entirely developed in Demi-Muids and vinified for eight months without malolactic fermentation.
