Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier

Domaine Chandon

Pinot Meunier - 2008

Carneros, California

A quick lesson for the non winos out there... Champagne is usually a blend of 3 grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, unless it is a "blanc de blanc" (all chardonnay) or "blanc de noir" (the pinots). While chardonnay and pinot noir are common still wine varietals, poor pinot meunier is often left in the shadows, overlooked and unknown.

Imagine my surprise at finding this under appreciated grape available, by the glass no less, at Zambrano's. I was eager to try it.

The bottle says Domaine Chandon wanted to use the grapes they've got for theor sparkling wines and make high quality still wines. I applaud them.

To put it simply: this wine is the bomb.

It is my go to everyday wine. So much so that on my 5+ visits a week to Zambrano's the lovely Teill just pours it for me, she knows it's coming!

The color is a magical ruby meets amethyst right to the edge and a lovely woody-berry-cherry-amazing nose only hints about the delicious in the glass. A deep, smooth, velvety wine melding spice, wood, dark fruit yum opens up in all corners of the mouth. Sturdy enough to stand up to any food, but delicate and demure enough to drink on a hot summer day.

Silky, spicy, delicious. It has more character than a pinot noir, but an inherent softness.

Get it. Drink it. Make this wine well known! Maybe more sparkling producers will use their extra juice to bring tbe world more delicious.

(one drawback to poor pinot meunier... It isn't well known for its ageability, drink young and drink often)