Collection: Pinot Meunier

Pinot Meunier is a black grape variety from France, and it has its home in Champagne, more specifically in the Marne valley. Here it is one of the three classic grapes of the region, where it appears side by side with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the vast majority of cuvées. With us you will find Pinot Meunier from precisely there, through our selection of Champagne, and thus from the area where the grape truly comes into its own.

The name Meunier means miller in French, and it refers not to the shape of the leaf but to the floury, whitish veil on the underside of the leaves. It looks as if the plant has been dusted with flour, just like a miller. The same idea recurs in the English synonym Dusty Miller. You will also encounter the grape under names such as Schwarzriesling, Müllerrebe and Plant de Brie, depending on where in Europe it is grown.

As a vine, Pinot Meunier is robust and frost-resistant, and it ripens early. This makes it a steady partner in Champagne's cool climate, where it contributes fruit and accessibility to the finished wines. Although the grape is black and can be vinified into a light red wine on a par with Pinot Noir, in Champagne it is used first and foremost for the production of white, mousserende vin.

In terms of taste, Pinot Meunier is more immediate and a little more earthy in its expression than Pinot Noir. It produces fruit-driven wines, especially in their youth, and it is precisely this juicy, fruity character that makes it valuable in a blend. Where Chardonnay adds finesse and Pinot Noir structure, Pinot Meunier lays down a round, fruity tone that ties the cuvée together.

If you want to understand Champagne a little better, Pinot Meunier is a good key. It tells you something about why a mousserende vin from the region can be both fresh and fruity at the same time. Explore our Champagne from France and taste your way to what this often overlooked grape contributes in the glass.