Pinot Meunier

It's the forgotten grape in Champagne. Almost none of the major, or even minor, champagneries tout their Pinot Meunier except for Krug. Well, that's a pretty mighty exception.

There are three major grapes grown in Champagne -- Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the ones everybody knows about and then there is Pinot Meunier, still perhaps the most planted of the three, but easily the least known. So, let's discover Pinot Meunier.

But, first, where exactly is Champagne? It's in the northwestern part of France, nearly due south of London and mostly west and just slighly south of Paris.

As most know, lots of sparkling wines are referred to as Champagne and I suppose that an estate can get away with that if they are not in France or one of the other European countries with tightly controlled naming rules. In the US, however, wine producers can pretty much call a wine whatever they like so long as they don't violate AVA rules and local, state, or federal law. The houses in the US that produce some of the finer sparkling wines of this style, however, will often designate those wines as sparkling and having been produced using la methode Champagnoise.

So, what's the deal with Pinot Meunier? In the Champagne appelation d'orgin controlee (AOC), seven grapes are allowed: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Ardane and Petit Meslier. Most use exclusively the first three and if any of the other four, just a splash.

Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir are the only black grapes of the group. The Meunier varietal is often preferred by growers because it buds later and ripens earlier than Pinot Noir. So, it has fewer strange weather deviations to deal with. So, for northern and north-facing vineyards (the ones with more cold spikes), expect to see more Pinot Meunier in their Champagnes.

Pinot Meunier does have a true purpose, however, While Pinot Noir is far more weighty on the palate and Chardonnay provides the finesse, if you will, Pinot Meunier provides the fruitiness that many wine drinkers crave. For the best aging Champagnes, however, Pinot Meunier-heavy cuvees are not nearly as common as the additional structure lent from Pinot Noir handles aging far better.

What do we pair Champagne with? Almost anything. Of course, we drink it at the strike of midnight on New Year's Eve, with orange juice in mimosas, with peach schnapps in bellinis, and in a large number of "Champagne cocktails." But, when drinking excellent Champagne with food, consider creamy cheeses like Brie, oysters, shrimp, and a bit less so other shellfish, foie gras, charcuterie plates, and any dish loaded with butter (the Champagne will cut through the butter fat).

A votre sante!