Graham Beck’s Pinot Meunier MCC 2022 is practically as rare as hens’ teeth. I say practically, as hens don’t actually have teeth and this wine does actually exist – albeit in tiny quantities!
In France’s Champagne region, Pinot Meunier makes up around a third of plantings. On our shores, Pinot Meunier makes up less than 16 hectares of our total plantings of around 87 800 ha. That is around 0,018% – a rounding error really! Part of Graham Beck’s Artisan Collection, which they refer to as their “artistic playground”, this MCC is South Africa’s first 100% Pinot Meunier fermented under cork.
The fruit hails mostly from Robertson’s limestone soils. The rest hails from Elgin’s weathered shale soils. Hand-picked and pressed separately, only the very first and finest fraction of each portion was used in the wine. The juice was split equally between four different fermentation vessels – terracotta amphora, ceramic pots, neutral French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks – where it stayed for five months.
Bottling for the second fermentation took place in June 2022. Unusually, this was done under cork rather than the standard crown cap closure. After two years of maturing on the lees, the wine was manually disgorged in June 2024 using a 1938 hand-operated agrafe application machine. (Agrafe closures are seldom seen in SA. They resemble giant staples and serve the same purpose as the more common wire cage on an MCC bottle.)
The wine has just a hint of pink from the black grapes and is fresh and elegant in style. Expect notes of white peach, apple and even a touch of spice on the nose. The palate is simultaneously vibrant and creamy – thanks to the fermentation under cork – and offers complex flavours of red apples, grapefruit and almonds. Vibrant acidity gives it great length and a long, succulent finish.
You’ll want to reserve this one for a very special special occasion!
Alcohol 12.19% vol | Residual Sugar 4.5 g/l | Total Acid 6.1 g/l | PH 3.11
www.grahambeck.com | +27 (0)23 626 1214
#grahambeck #pinotmeunier #robertson #winesbeyondtheusual #vino-obscura
