THE CINDERELLA GRAPE
It’s the historically disregarded third grape of a Champagne blend, obscured by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the variety Grandes Marques producers only reluctantly admit to using.
But now, along the length of the Marne Valley, from Épernay west toward Château-Thierry, Pinot Meunier (or just Meunier, as producers call it) makes remarkable Champagnes with a character and quality all its own. It’s the Cinderella grape that’s beginning to reveal itself in all its beauty.
“Meunier can give wines that are so fresh, with a winning combination of fruit and minerality,” says Fanny Heucq, joint manager with her father, André, of Champagne André Heucq in Cuisles. “At its best, it can produce Champagnes that have fruity complexity, peaches, green
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