Pinot Meunier

Champagne's third grape; fruit and approachability.

Pinot Meunier is one of the three permitted Champagne grapes and the most planted of them, especially in the cooler Vallée de la Marne. It ripens earlier and yields more reliably than Pinot Noir, contributing fruit-forward roundness to Champagne blends. Outside Champagne it is uncommon, with small plantings in Germany (as Schwarzriesling) and a handful of New World cool-climate sites. Recently grower-Champagnes have begun bottling 100% Meunier to highlight its red-apple and earthy character.