Pinot Meunier is most often found blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Sparkling wines made in the Champagne style. Chandon offers a stand-alone single variety sparkling wine made exclusively from Pinot Meunier. Known as “Cygnet”, it is unfortunately a cellar door exclusive. Here is our review:

The colour is unusual. More orange than pink, it is not a colour we are used to seeing in a sparkling rose. The bubbles are fine and plentiful and from an overall visual, the wine is quite intriguing.

There is not much of a bouquet to speak of. Even after 30 minutes out of the fridge, there were minimal aromas to describe.

In terms of flavour there is nothing actually wrong with this wine, it just didn’t excite us the way a number of other sparkling wines (including many from Chandon) do. There is some complexity, a few levels of flavour and a bit of acid in the long finish, but overall nothing really stamps its authority here in what is quite a dry example of sparkling wine.

Our Verdict: A good enough wine that we would be happy to drink again. It is oddly addictive, but at $59 and only available at the cellar door, we are probably going to load our cellars with other Chandon offerings which offer a greater quality wine at a lower price.