Pinot Meunier

Description

Pinot Meunier, pronounced: [pi.no mø.nje], also known as Meunier or Black Riesling, is a variety of black wine grape most noted for being one of the three main grapes used in the production of champagne (the other two are the black Pinot noir and the white Chardonnay). Until recently, champagne makers did not acknowledge Pinot Meunier, preferring to emphasise the use of the other noble varieties, but now Pinot Meunier is gaining recognition for the body and richness it contributes to champagne. It is believed to be a mutation of Pinot noir. It was first mentioned in the 16th century, and gets its name and synonyms (French meunier and German Müller - both meaning miller) from flour-like dusty white down on the underside of its leaves.

Notes

Grape Colour: Black
Also called: Auvernat Meunier, Blanc Meunier, Blanche Feuille, Carpinet, Cerny Mancujk, Créedinet, Dusty Miller, Farineux Noir, Fernaise, Frésillon, Fromenté, Frühe blaue Müllerrebe, Goujeau, Gris Meunier, Meunier, Meunier Gris, Miller Grape, Miller's Burgundy, Molnar Toke, Molnar Toke Kek, Molnarszölö, Morillon Tacone, Morone Farinaccio, Moucnik, Müllerrebe, Muller-Traube, Noirin Enfariné, Noirien de Vuillapans, Pineau Meunier, Pino Meine, Pinot Negro, Plant de Brie, Plant Meunier, Plant Munier, Postitschtraube, Rana Modra Mlinaria, Rana Modra Mlinarica, Resseau, Riesling Noir, Sarpinet, Trézillon and Wrotham Pinot
Origin: France
Major regions: Champagne (France), Württemberg (Germany), Oregon (USA), Okanagan Valley (British Columbia, Canada)
Notable wines: Champagne, Soaring Eagles (Lang Estates) Okanagan Valley