Pinot Meunier
Long considered the most modest of Champagne’s three main grape varieties, Pinot Meunier is now enjoying renewed interest. Grown predominantly in Champagne, particularly in the Marne Valley, it accounts for around a third of the region’s plantings. A black grape with white juice, Pinot Meunier is a mutation of Pinot Noir, but differs markedly in its hardiness and earlier ripening.
Less susceptible to spring frosts, it is particularly well suited to Champagne’s cooler areas and clay-rich soils. Its name comes from the powdery white appearance of the underside of its leaves, which looks as though they have been dusted with flour – meunier being the French word for miller.
In the winery, Meunier stands out for its immediately expressive fruit, with notes of crunchy red fruit and plum, sometimes accompanied by floral or undergrowth nuances. In Champagne blends, it brings fullness, suppleness and generous fruit, balancing the linear character of Chardonnay and the structure of Pinot Noir. Generally less suited to extended ageing, Meunier tends to show at its best in its youth, particularly in non-vintage cuvées. Today, a number of Champagne houses and growers are showcasing the potential of Pinot Meunier to impressive effect, including Deutz, Jacquesson, Jérôme Prévost, Georges Laval and Drappier.
