Pinot Meunier Grape variety guide: history, French regions, taste & food pairing
Pinot Meunier (Meunier) is one of the three main grapes of Champagne, a red-skinned variety that gives fruitiness, roundness and early charm to sparkling blends and increasingly to single-variety cuvées.
Learn more about Pinot Meunier
History & origins
Meunier is a mutation of Pinot, documented in France since the 16th century. Its name, French for "miller," comes from the fine white down on the underside of its leaves, which looks dusted with flour. Because it buds late and ripens early, it resists spring frosts, which made it the favorite grape of the cooler Vallée de la Marne. Growers such as José Michel and Jérôme Prévost helped prove its quality.
French regions & appellations
Champagne AOC (especially the Vallée de la Marne and Aisne), Coteaux Champenois, plus Touraine Noble-Joué and Orléans in the Loire.
Taste profile
Supple and fruity, with red apple, pear, red berries, brioche, toast and a soft, gently spicy finish; usually drunk younger than Pinot Noir or Chardonnay Champagnes.
Food pairing
Gougères, smoked salmon, roast chicken, pork, sushi, mushroom tarts, Chaource and Brie de Meaux.
Where Pinot Meunier grows in France
Wine regions: Champagne
Appellations: Ratafia