Marsanne Grape variety guide: history, French regions, taste & food pairing
Marsanne is the rich, textured white grape of the northern Rhône, partner to Roussanne in the great white wines of Hermitage and capable of extraordinary aging.
Learn more about Marsanne
History & origins
Marsanne takes its name from the village of Marsanne near Montélimar in the Drôme, and it has been grown in the northern Rhône for centuries. More productive and reliable than Roussanne, it became the dominant white grape of Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. It also traveled to Switzerland's Valais, where it is called Ermitage, and to Australia's Victoria, home to some of the world's oldest Marsanne vines.
French regions & appellations
Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Péray (northern Rhône); Côtes du Rhône; Languedoc and IGP Pays d'Oc; Savoie and Bugey blends.
Taste profile
Full-bodied with low to moderate acidity, showing almond, pear, quince, honeysuckle, beeswax and white peach; with age it develops honey, hazelnut and marzipan.
Food pairing
Lobster, crab, scallops, roast chicken, veal or pork in cream sauce, trout with almonds, mushrooms and aged Comté.
Where Marsanne grows in France
Wine regions: Languedoc-Roussillon, Rhône
Appellations: Corbières, Crozes-Hermitage, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Roussillon, Hermitage, iGP Collines Rhodaniennes, Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Saint-Joseph