The Pinot Meunier grape can be much more than simply a "workhorse" for the Champagne region, it has been claimed.

Pinot Meunier is one of three main grapes used in champagne, alongside the black Pinot Noir and the white Chardonnay.

It has long been overlooked by leading producers in the region, however, as they instead prefer to use the other two varietals in their top blends.

Yet champagne expert Michael Edwards claims in the latest edition of the Drinks Business that there is much more to this particular grape than it is given credit for.

He suggests that part of the reason the grape is underused is because it is misunderstood.

Although a black grape, the flavour of the varietal is actually closer to Chardonnay than it is to Pinot Noir, and it should be used accordingly when creating a champagne blend.

To this end, Mr Edwards believes that renaming that grape Meunier without the Pinot prefix will help to clear up this confusion.

Despite its under-use on many estates, the grape has played a significant role in some blends.

The 1981 Krug, regarded as one of the finest champagnes of the 20th century, used as much as 19 per cent Pinot Meunier.

However, despite Mr Edwards' protestations, the problem for Pinot Meunier may be more to do with climate than being misunderstood.

Jean-Herve Chiquet, co-owner of Champagne Jacquesson, recently claimed that climate change is pushing up temperatures in the region, to the point that it is getting too warm for this particular grape.

"As a result, it's getting harder and harder to work with, so I find myself using less each year, and planting more Pinot Noir in its place," he said.

The 2011 harvest has provided the latest evidence that Pinot Meunier may no longer be viable.

Jean-Philippe Moulin of Champagne Paul Goerg added: "Pinot Meunier is getting increasingly harder to harvest. The changing climate in Champagne is making it harder to grow, as it's ripening too early."