MARSELAN
Tomorrow the world (well in China at least) Celebrates the 7th International Marselan Day. The official date is April 27, the birthday of Paul Truel, the noted ampelographer who created this Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache cross in 1961.
In the short time since it’s creation #marselan has been planted in over 20 countries headed by France, China, Uruguay, Bulgaria Serbia and a small planting in the Napa Valley USA.
Almost nobody in Australia has heard of this emerging variety, as it is not, to the best of my knowledge been planted here as yet. However, in China it is THE big thing, with plantings growing rapidly so that it will soon- if not already be the third most planted red variety after the ubiquitous “Bordeaux” Cabernet Sauvignon and it’s side-kick Merlot.
In 2019 I attended the inaugural World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Yantai, where one of the Masterclasses was on Marselan. See my article in Australia's Wine Business Magazine (WBM) July-August 2019 “A New Dawn Rising” The session was packed out and was very informative with a presentation by a university research winery from near Penglai City, which presented a number of trial wines from three vintages. The upshot is that Marselan makes a very attractive wine which, I am sure will have a bright future here in Australia when some intrepid souls’ source some and plant it.
I can envisage that in the fairly near future Marselan could become for China what Malbec is for Argentina and Shiraz is for Australia- the flagship red variety.
If you hear of any Marselan wine available here in Australia, be it Chinese, French or Uruguayan, please let me know as I would be very keen to try it. Thanks
Have a great week, stay safe and remember to Choose Australian Wine and when possible enjoy emerging varieties
Cheers
Dan Traucki