Marselan
A 1961 INRA cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, prized for deep colour, supple tannin and heat tolerance. Now rising fast as a signature grape of China.
About Marselan
Marselan was bred in 1961 by ampelographer Paul Truel at INRA, using Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache vines from the Domaine de Vassal collection near the town of Marseillan, from which it takes its name. The goal was to marry Cabernet's finesse and structure with Grenache's colour potential, heat tolerance and productivity. Overlooked for decades as breeders once favoured quantity, it was only registered in 1990 and has since surged. Its small berries yield deeply coloured, aromatic reds with blackberry, cassis and plum, supple tannins and real drinkability. In southern France it is a rising blending and varietal grape, but its most striking success is in China, where it has emerged as a leading candidate for a national signature variety, producing the country's most acclaimed reds. A young grape with a fast-growing global footprint.
Variety profile
Editorial notes
China's flagship-in-waiting; look to Hebei and Ningxia for benchmark bottlings, and Languedoc for approachable, well-priced examples.