They can be made from white Chardonnay grapes , or red Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes . Champagne is a single Appellation d'Origine ContrÃ lÃ e. As a general rule , grapes used must be the white Chardonnay , or the dark-skinned `` red wine grapes '' Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier .