Wines made from Marsanne grapes of Genève
Discover the best wines made with Marsanne as a single variety or as a blend of Genève.
Marsanne is a white grape variety that originated in Montélimar in the Drôme, several centuries ago. Marsanne is also found in Cassis, Savoie, Languedoc-Roussillon and Saint-Péray in the Ardèche, where it produces remarkable sparkling wines. The warm, sunny climate of the Rhone Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence, as well as the dry, stony soil, are ideal conditions for its development. Its bunches are quite large and provide small, juicy berries that are sensitive to grey rot and strong winds. These two grape varieties complement each other perfectly: together they give light wines with little acidity, aromas of yellow fruit, white fruit and flowers with notes of honey and liquorice. This is for example what the appellations Saint-Péray, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Côtes-du-Vallée du Rhône, Corbières, or Cassis express... which represent about 700 hectares.
Geneva, at the western end of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), is the second-largest city in Switzerland and the country's third-largest wine producing canton after Valais and Vaud. Although not famously associated with wine, the city and its environs are home to numerous Vineyards and wineries, some within just a few miles of the Center. At 1,400 hectares (3,500 acres), Geneva accounts for 10 percent of the country's vineyard area. Gamay is the predominant variety here, with the Swiss workhorse Chasselas (often labelled "Fendant") and Pinot Noir taking second and third place respectively.