White grape variety

Marsanne

Also called Ermitage (Valais)

Marsanne is a white grape from the northern Rhône, France, named after the village of Marsanne in the Drôme. It makes full-bodied, nutty white wines, often blended with Roussanne, and is the main white grape of Hermitage. Tahbilk in Victoria, Australia, has Marsanne vines planted in 1927.

Color	White (green-skinned)
Origin	Northern Rhône, France (village of Marsanne, Drôme)
Body	Full
Acidity	Low to medium
Typical aromas	pear, almond, quince, honeysuckle, beeswax, spice
Key regions	Rhône Valley (France), Provence (France), Languedoc-Roussillon (France), Valais (Switzerland), Victoria (Australia), California (United States)

Origin and history

Marsanne probably originated in the northern Rhône Valley, and its name points to the village and former abbey of Marsanne in the Drôme department. It has long been paired with Roussanne, and the two are the white grapes of the northern Rhône's main appellations. In Australia, Tahbilk in Victoria has Marsanne vines dating from 1927, among the oldest in the world. In Switzerland the grape is known as Ermitage in the Valais.

Where it grows

Marsanne is the most planted white grape of Hermitage, where white wines can age for decades. It is also allowed in Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Péray, which makes both still and sparkling wines. In Provence it appears in the white wines of Cassis, and it is used in Languedoc-Roussillon. In the Valais, Swiss Ermitage is made both dry and sweet. Outside Europe it is found in Victoria, Australia, and in California, often in Rhône-style blends.

Taste, wine styles and food

Marsanne makes deeply coloured, full-bodied white wine with fairly high alcohol and moderate acidity. Young wines show pear, almond, spice and honeysuckle; with age they become oily and honeyed, with nut and quince aromas. Climate matters: too much heat gives flabby wine, too little gives neutral wine. Blending with Roussanne adds acidity and aroma. Marsanne pairs well with rich fish dishes, lobster, roast chicken, veal in cream sauce and mild cheeses.