Location and History
Champagne Pierre Péters is located in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in Champagne in France, on the Côte des Blancs. The family estate comprises six generations. Gaspar Péters has been farming around two hectares in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger since 1858; Camille Péters began harvesting, processing and selling Champagne under her own name in 1919. The first vintage under the Pierre Péters brand was released in 1946 from the 1944 harvest.
Vineyards and Grape Variety
The estate cultivates a little more than 19 hectares, mostly in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Avize and Cramant. The vineyards are planted with Chardonnay and average around 30 years old. The east-facing slopes lie on a chalk formation described by the winery as a water reservoir. Sustainable farming and cultivation methods adapted to environmental conditions are part of the approach; for the planting material, Pierre Péters uses its own mass selection.
Champagne and Special Terroirs
Since 1919, Pierre Péters has produced Grand-Cru Blanc-de-Blancs Champagne. The Cuvée Les Chétillons is a vintage Blanc-de-Blancs made from Grand-Cru Chardonnay from three parcels in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. These old parcels, acquired in 1930, are located on chalk- and limestone-rich soils; according to the winery, the vines are more than 45 years old. The three parcels are vinified separately and then blended into a single-terroir vintage. In 2009, the estate introduced the Cuvée Rosé for Albane.
Cellar Work
The grapes are hand-harvested as whole bunches and brought to the press. Slow pressing separates the juices selected for the various cuvées. Fermentation takes place in small, temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, whose contents are labelled according to terroir and press fraction. The wines mature on fine lees and are tasted regularly before blending. The Cuvée de Réserve combines wines from the youngest harvest with reserve wines aged for more than 20 years. After blending, the second fermentation and a slow bottle ageing follow before disgorging and dosage.
