Pinot Meunier is hardly a household name among casual wine drinkers, but wine “geeks” and those in the biz know it to be a red grape in the Pinot family that is one of the three main varieties employed in the making of Champagne. While rarely used by itself to make wines of any kind, there is a small group of grower-producers in Champagne who are bucking that trend, as Eric Asimov reported in late 2012. There are also the very occasional still wines, in both red and rosé hues. We had a nice red version from WillaKenzie back in the late 90s, and another from Flowers around that same time that was good, but sadly never made it into these pages.

I was quite excited to find out recently that our friends at Bonny Doon Vineyard had a Pinot Meunier in their book, and even more excited when our friends at Western Market in Ferndale started stocking it on their shelves. Needless to say, we were the first kids on our block to try this one, and we liked it so well, we had to go back for more.

2015 Bonny Doon Vineyard Pinot Meunier Yountville, 13% alc., $25.99: Smoky ruby garnet color; throws a very pretty nose that’s like a blend of cranberry and cherry, with hints of rhubarb lurking here and there and a subtle perfume a little reminiscent of Foillard and Breton Morgons tasted a while back. There’s plenty more of the same on the smooth, rich, almost creamy palate; luscious in the mouth, this gives immediate, and for me, immense pleasure. Still, it’s deceptively well-structured, on a medium-to-medium-full bodied frame to develop over at least the next five years. The wine offers excellent value for the Western Market price, especially considering that Bonny Doon sells it for $30. Most definitely a turkey/duck kind o’ wine, and I’m betting that it’ll work pretty well with smoked grilled chicken as well. Find this wine

Reporting from Day-twah,

Bastardo

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1. 2004 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc
2. Quick and Dirty Doon Report
3. Red Rhone Rangers from Bonny Doon
4. Some Tasty Wine From Mr. Ridge and Bonny Doon
5. Doon in the Boondocks