Wine Review: A dark horse from Domaine Chandon

It has the same sort of diaphanous air that I love from the Jura wine. That floating, weightless sensation as it wafts over the tongue, a light, sappy, gamey edge seems so familiar to my frazzled olfactory software.

Meunier is of course the dark horse of the Champagne triptych — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier — the three grape varieties that combine to produce the famous sparkling wine of Champagne.

There are few Meunier table wines, although it does have a solid pedigree in Victoria with fantastic wines from Best’s and Seppelt. The fine folk at Chandon let one of their cellar-hands, Thomas Remigereau, have a crack at making their usually sparkling-bound Meunier into a table wine and it’s lovely.

It’s very delicate and lacy in its demeanor with elegant red cherry and redcurrant fruits, notes of cranberry and hints of Peking duck. Asian spice, forest floor and light notes of marzipan and apple danish. It’s beautifully fragrant, the fruit seemingly encircled by red and purple blossom notes.

Texturally it sits somewhere between a rosé and a Pinot Noir with bright, sapid acidity, barely perceivable tannin and a gorgeous red-fruited vapor trail and slowly fades away on the palate. It’s only available at the Chandon cellar door so it’s time for a trip to Melbourne or check out their website.

Domaine Chandon 2017 Barrel Selection Meunier 

chandon.com.au