The red grapes from the Marne village of Mailly were already considered to be of "first class" quality in the international classification system established by André Julien in 1816. This was confirmed by the Échelle des Crus rating system. Mailly has enjoyed 100% Grand Cru status without interruption since 1911.
The Mailly Grand Cru champagne estate proudly bears this honour in its name. It is one of the very few that produce exclusively in this quality and with the associated effort. It is also one of the few that are organised as a cooperative. in 1929, 24 winegrowers joined forces to achieve better prices for their products.
Today, the cooperative cultivates more than 70 hectares of vines in the heart of the Montagne de Reims nature park. They are divided into 35 lieux-dits facing in all directions, 75% of which are planted with Pinot Noir and 25% with Chardonnay. Predominantly limestone and chalk subsoils provide mineral, slightly saline nuances. Overall, there is a veritable mosaic of plots available, which allows the „cellar master a rich palette of expressions“. Consequently, each parcel is harvested and vinified separately.
The wines of the current vintage and parts of the reserve from the past ten years are then used for blending. „Reserve wines are the backbone of our non-vintage champagnes and ensure a consistent style from year to year.“
The cuvées are matured in a cellar that can also be seen as a symbol of the courageous merger into a cooperative: In the winter of 1931/32, the members carved a room out of the chalk rock at a depth of 19 metres. Over the decades, a kilometre-long underground storage system was created.
© Images: Champagne Mailly Grand Cru
