Pinot Meunier, also known as Schwarzriesling or Müllerrebe, is a variety of black wine grape most frequently used in the production of Champagne. It has been suggested that Red wine be merged into this article or section. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Champagne is often drunk as part of a celebration Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by inducing the secondary fermentation of wine. ...

It is a mutation¹ of Pinot Noir and gets its name (meunier - meaning miller) from flour-like dusty white down on the underside of its leaves. Paul K. Boss and Mark R. Thomas of the CSIRO Plant Industry and Cooperative Research Centre for Viticulture in Glen Osmond, Australia, found that the Meunier strain has a mutated gene that stops it from responding to gibberellic acid, a plant growth hormone. This leads to different leaf growth, and also to a slight stunting in growth, explaining why Pinot Meunier plants tend to be a bit smaller than pinot noirs. GA452D may be the most common of the Gibberellins. ... Growth hormone Growth hormone is a polypeptide hormone synthesised and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland which stimulates growth and cell reproduction in humans and other vertebrate animals. ...

It is 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 ineligible to receive grand cru status, and all-Meunier Champagnes are far rarer than those made from all-Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir vines at Gervey-Chambertin, on the Côte dOr, France Pinot Noir, known as Pinot Nero in Italian, is a red wine grape variety, considered to make some of the greatest wines. ... Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make a white varietal wine. ... Grand Cru is the highest level of classification of AOC wines from Burgundy or Alsace, those that come from a single vineyard. ...

It has the great advantage in Champagne of budding late and ripening early, thus avoiding frost in spring and rain in autumn.

Sparkling wine makers in other areas have planted Pinot Meunier in an attempt to duplicate the taste of Champagne, but Pinot Meunier is not often found as a varietal.

It can make an enjoyable dry red wine, like a more fruity and rustic Pinot Noir. Germany also makes an off-dry (halbtrocken) inexpensive red wine from it, under its synonym Schwarzriesling.

References

Note 1: Paul K. Boss and Mark R. Thomas (Nature, 25 April 2002) April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...