THE THIRD GRAPE OF CHAMPAGNE, AUSTRALIAN EDITION: PINOT MEUNIER BY MAC FORBES

I love Pinot Meunier. I mean, I Really love Pinot Meunier. Usually I consume it in Champagne form, but once in a while, a bottle of still Pinot Meunier will cross my path and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single one I’ve had. It is, however, hard to find, which is why I am so excited to bring you a still Pinot Meunier by Australian producer Mac Forbes. Hailing from the Yarra Valley region in Victoria, Mac Forbes makes beautiful wines that represent both classic Australian styles as well as obscure, unique, and quite frankly just weird wines. While that may seem like a bit of a head scratcher, stick with me. Australia is known for being hot and modern, making bold Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet, and for the whites, Riesling, Semillon, and Chardonnay. It’s easy to forget that there are still places in Australia that have cool climates which are allowing producers like Forbes to experiment in addition to producing classics such as Pinot Noir and Shiraz. And who else is making still Pinot Meunier in Australia? No one that I can think of. At only 11% alcohol, this is a great summer sipper, showing pretty red fruit, subtle minerality, a kiss of wild herbs and is just straight up chuggable. I highly recommend drinking this with a bit of a chill on it. If you’ve ever wanted to understand why Pinot Meunier based Champagne is so delicious and how Meunier actually tastes… the time is now. 

-MVT