Pinot Meunier is the second-most widely planted variety after Pinot Noir in Champagne, and despite its high regard by such luminaries as Krug, Egly-Ouriet, Georges Laval, and Françoise Bedel, it still doesn’t seem to get the respect it deserves. Late budding and early to ripen, it is frequently planted in less auspicious sites providing a vivacious fruitiness combined with bright acidity. It is thought to age faster than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but this is belied by anyone who appreciates the richness of Krug or the depth and complexity of Bedel. Ephémère is Davy’s version of Meunier, made Brut Nature to capture its purity.
