How to identify Marsanne & Roussanne from the Northern Rhône in a blind wine tasting?

About Marsanne & Roussanne from the Northern Rhône

Marsanne’s origin is believed to be in the Rhône valley but not proven as of yet. Its close relative, Roussanne, shares the same question mark about its origin but both varieties strive and prosper predominately in the Northern Rhône valley. Total plantings in France (as per 2019 statistics) are 2289 hectares for Roussanne and Marsanne with 1798 hectares. (Harding et al., 2023)

Having said that Marsanne is significantly wider planted in the Northern Rhône than Roussanne.

Where they differentiate is their natural acidity level, being higher in Roussanne and their resistance level to powdery mildew and rot, where Marsanne generally fares better.

It’s rather common to blend them as Marsanne brings body, intensity and structure and Roussanne provides the perfume, elegance and often the needed acidity.

In this article, we are going to focus on the aroma and flavour profile of Marsanne & Roussanne from Northern Rhône, following a structure commonly used by wine institutions like Court of Master Sommeliers (COMS) and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). We will also compare it with other grape varieties and call out what makes Marsanne and Roussanne blends unique.

Appearance

Colour – Pale to medium straw

Hue – Golden/ cooper (Higher percentage of Roussanne accentuates the golden/cooper reflection)

Brightness – Bright (Higher percentage of Roussanne often intensifies the brightness)

Viscosity – Medium +

Aromas and flavours

Summary – Highly aromatic and heady floral intensity

Citrus

Lemon (fresh, zesty or tart), lemon (ripe to overripe, candied zest or peel), orange & candied orange peel

Orchard

Yellow/golden apple, pear (underripe, tart), quince (just ripe)

Stone

Mirabelle plum (Yellow plum)

Exotic

Honeydew melon

Floral

Dried white flower, white flower, honeysuckle, linden flower

Honey

Honey, candle wax, lanolin

Blossom

Apple blossom

Herbal

Dried herbal note

Spice

Vanilla, white pepper (grounded)

Tea

Almond, white tea

Inorganic

Limestone/chalk/flint, granite, salty mineral

Oak

Present (but generally well integrated)

Sweetness

Dry

Acidity

Medium

Alcohol

Medium plus – high 13% -14.5% and higher

Body

Medium to full bodied

Comparison to others

Chardonnay (outside of Europe)

Can show similar intensity for the non-fruit elements like the florality, spices and nuts. Often more exotic fruit scented with mango, pineapple and generally a riper style.

Pinot Gris from Alsace

Similar colour with cooper/golden variations. Often Pinot Gris is more aromatic and fruity in style with a more oily texture and weight with no obvious use of oak. Furthermore Pinot Gris is more likely to show some residual sugar in the finished wine.

Classic examples

E.Guigal
M.Chapoutier
Paul Jaboulet Aîné

What makes it unique

Full bodied, heady & heavenly scented with an abundance of floral notes (dried and fresh).
Textured with layers of honey, almonds and a pleasant phenolic bitterness. Often pear and quince are picked up as main fruits with an persistence mineral mid palate.

Legal requirements

Only 4 regions are allowed to produce Marsanne and Roussanne blends in the Northern Rhone, and they are St. Joseph, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage and St. Peray.
The total surface of St. Joseph is approximately 1,300 hectares, only 10% is designated to white wine production.
Majority of wines are based on Marsanne at 80%, with Roussanne as a blend at no more than 20%.

Stefan Neumann MS

Austrian born, London based Master Sommelier – I am passionate about wine and a strong believer that wine should connect people. Hence I have made it my mission to share my wine knowledge and experience with like-minded individuals who would like to be part of this journey.

References:

‌Harding, J., Robinson, J. and Thomas, T.Q. (2023) The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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