Australian Pinot Meunier wine regional and flavour profile

RED| LIGHT BODIED

Pinot Meunier tastes and aromas

Flavours of slightly jammy, smooth berry flavours, strawberries, and raspberries. Aromas of cranberry and cherry, a natural smokiness with hints of vanilla

Pinot Meunier mouthfeel

Low tannins, and generally crisp, bright, and highly acidic

Pinot Meunier cellaring potential

Depending on how long the wine has been aged, red fruit flavours can turn slightly darker and riper with a little more bitterness to them

 Facts about Pinot Meunier

• Pinot Meunier grapes can make a variety of wines, such as rose, dry red wines, and the grapes are often used as a blending component in Champagne.
• It is thought that the oldest plantings of this variety Australia and even the world are in the Great Western region of Victoria. This is because vines were uprooted from old world European regions and re-planted in Australia in the 1700’s – early 1800’s. Most of the European vines suffered heavily due to phylloxera in the 1800’s.
• In Australia, the grape has had a longer history in Australian wine production than Pinot noir.
• Pinot Meunier is considered to be a mutation of the Pinot Noir vine. The variety buds later and ripens earlier than Pinot Noir, making it a heartier and easier to cultivate grape.
• Meunier is French for “miller” and the grapes and vines got that name because the underside of the vine’s leaves are coated in small, white hairs that make the foliage look like it’s been dusted with flour. Since millers are the folks responsible for grinding grain into flour, the vines became known as Meunier in France.

Australian regions that produce Pinot Meunier

Pinot Meunier is grown in the Great Western region of Victoria, where the vines are considered to be the oldest in the world.

Internationally, Pinot Meunier is one of the most widely planted grapes in France, however it is rather obscure to most wine drinkers and will rarely be seen on a wine label. The grape has been favoured by vine growers in northern France due to its ability to bud and ripen more reliably than Pinot noir. The grape is also grown in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, California and New Zealand.

What food  to pair with Pinot Meunier

Pinot Meunier is a perfect match to barbequed meats. Because pork ribs have such a subtle flavour and so much fat to them, the acid and strong cherry and berry flavours of Pinot Meunier enhance the flavour of the ribs, especially if they have a tangy barbecue sauce. This is because the acidity of the wine complements the sweet, hot, tangy flavours of BBQ sauces, and also cuts through the fat of the meat on the bone.