Marsanne

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For other uses, see Marsanne, Drôme.
Marsanne is often blended in white wines with other Rhône grapes such as Roussanne and Viognier.
Marsanne is often blended in white wines with other Rhône grapes such as Roussanne and Viognier.

Marsanne is a white wine grape, most commonly found in the northern Rhône, where it is often blended with Roussanne. It is also grown in Switzerland, where its known as Ermitage Blanc or Ermitage, Victoria in Australia, and California. In Savoie it is known as Grosse Roussette. In the Rhône, Marsanne is the most widely planted white wine grape in the Hermitage AOC where it is a component of the white Hermitage wines in a blend with Roussanne. Up to 15% of the red wine version of Hermitage can include Marsanne. Marsanne produces deeply colored wines that are rich and nutty, with hints of spice and pear. As Marsanne ages, the wine take on an even darker color and the flavors can become more complex and concentrated with an oily, honeyed texture. Aromas of nuts and quince can also develop.[1]

Contents

[edit] Wine regions

The grape most likely originated in the Northern Rhone region where it is widely planted today. It is a principle component of the white wines from Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph AOCs. Along with Roussanne, up to 15% of Marsanne can be added to the red wine of Hermitage under Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) regulations. In the Saint-Péray AOC, it is used for both still and sparkling wine production. In the Southern Rhone, Marsanne is not one of the permitted white grapes in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC though its frequent blending partner, Roussanne, is. (In Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends, Clairette blanc adds similar characteristics as Marsanne[2]) It can be found in some white wines from the Côtes du Rhône AOC.[3] While Marsanne is mostly made into a dry wine, some producers in the Rhone have also experimented with making a dessert-style straw wine with Marsanne.[1]

Outside of the Rhone, Marsanne is also found in the Savoie region of France where the grape is known as Grosse Roussette and in the Languedoc where it is often blended with Viognier.[1] It is a permitted grape in the Provence wine of Cassis though it is not widely used.[3]

[edit] Outside France

In Australia, the grape was first planted in the Victoria region in the 1860s. While the original vines are no longer around, the vines in Victorian vineyard of Chateau Tahbilk are some of the oldest Marsanne vines in the world dating back to 1927.[1] In Switzerland, Marsanne is grown around the Valais region, where it is known as "Ermitage blanc", producing steely white wines with high alcohol levels.[3] In Washington State, plantings of Marsanne has been increasing as the producer blend it with Roussanne and Viognier. Varietal Marsanne from Washington have been shown to have notes of ripe white peaches and spiced pears.[4] In California, the Rhone Rangers movement introduced Marsanne to more consumers in wines that are often blended with Roussanne and Viognier. There are some plantings of Marsanne in northeast Spain where the grape is known as "Marsana".[2]

[edit] Viticulture

While not as temperamental as the Roussanne grape, Marsanne is prone to under performing in less then ideal vineyard sites. In climates that are too hot, the grape can over ripen and produce wine that is very flabby. In places that are too cool, the grape will not ripen fully enough to develop more than just a bland and neutral flavor. Winemakers try to harvest Marsanne just before it hits full ripeness in order to maintain a high level of acidity. Some Australian winemakers prefer to let the grape hang longer on the vine to increase its potential alcohol level and its aging potential.[3]

[edit] Wines

Marsanne produces deeply colored wines that are rich and nutty, with hints of spice and pear. Often Australian Marsanne has aromas of melon, honeysuckle and sometimes glue. The wines can be high in alcohol and can be oak aged to develop more body.[3] As Marsanne ages, the wine take on an even darker color and the flavors can become more complex and concentrated with an oily, honeyed texture. Aromas of nuts and quince can also develop.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Oz Clarke Encyclopedia of Grapes pg 124-125 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0151007144
  2. ^ a b J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 429 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906
  3. ^ a b c d e J. Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wines pg 235 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1857329996
  4. ^ P. Gregutt "Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide" pg 53 University of California Press 2007 ISBN 0520248694