Marsanne is a temperamental grape that when cultivated carefully can produce rich, elegantly scented wines, imparting a nutty, mineral component. While it is more than capable of standing on its own as a varietal wine (Chapoutier's Ermite being on of the finest examples), it also forms a great marriage with higher acid wines such as Roussanne and Viognier. While it originated in the northern Rhone, where it was named after the town it where it was thought to have been discovered, Marsanne has spread across the globe. Most plantings reside in Australia. It was one of the first grapes brought over from the old Wold however due to its finicky nature extra care and attention in the vineyard is paramount in producing quality wines. Penfold's Prodigy John Duval is a leading producer making a Marsanne Roussanne and Viognier Rhone style blend called the Plexus. Interest in Marsanne is picking up gradually in California however it will be a long time until it becomes anything like a mainstream varietal. Even the biggest Marsanne producers in the state, such as Qupe, Cline and Tablas Creek, maintain just than a handful of acres each. Washington State may prove to be the next hot bed for the varietal as producers continue to experiment with the Rhone style blend. The grape is also cultivated in north east Spain, where it goes by the name Marsana and in the Valais region of Switzerland. The Swiss refer to it as Ermitage Blanc and make a variety of styles ranging from bone dry to complex sweet wines.
Accounting for nearly half of the country’s production, South Australia is one of the most important wine producing regions and consequently reflects the majority of our selection of Australian wine. Production is focused in the south eastern corner around Adelaide where the sub-regions Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, and Clare Valley are located. Further south in the state is the Limestone Coast Zone where the cooler sub-regions of Padthaway and Coonawarra produce some of the country’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon.
