29 editor-picked estates growing Marsanne in Rhone Valley.
Where to taste Marsanne in Rhone Valley: the estates that grow it, how the region expresses the grape, and how to book a visit.
The cellar
The 12 highest-rated of 13 bottles with at least 15% Marsanne in the blend.
5.0
Ermitage De l'Oree Blanc
M. Chapoutier
5.0
Hermitage Blanc
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave
4.9
Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc
E. Guigal
4.7
Saint-Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers
Domaine Gonon
4.5
Chante-Alouette Blanc
M. Chapoutier
4.5
Hermitage Blanc Chevalier de Sterimberg
Paul Jaboulet Aine
4.4
Saint-Joseph Les Granilites Blanc
M. Chapoutier
4.4
Saint-Peray
Auguste Clape
4.3
Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives Blanc
Domaine Combier
4.3
Saint-Peray Marsanne
Domaine du Tunnel
4.2
Crozes-Hermitage Blanc
Domaine Alain Graillot
4.2
Saint-Peray Brut Methode Traditionnelle
Domaine du Tunnel
Ampuis-based negociant and domaine celebrated for the single-vineyard Cote-Rotie La La La trilogy from old Syrah vines.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at Chateau d'Ampuis by appointment
Signature wines: Cote-Rotie La Mouline, Cote-Rotie La Landonne, Cote-Rotie La Turque
Tip: The La La La trilogy (La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque) are allocated; the Chateau d'Ampuis Cote-Rotie is the most accessible flagship.
Tain-l'Hermitage negociant under biodynamic conversion since the 1990s, producing benchmark Hermitage Syrah and rare Marsanne whites.
Tasting: Open tasting room in Tain-l'Hermitage; cellar tours by appointment
Signature wines: Ermitage Le Pavillon, Ermitage De l'Oree Blanc
Tip: The Braille labels on all bottles reflect the family's commitment to accessibility. The tasting room in town is walk-in friendly.
Paul Jaboulet Aine, founded in 1834, is a Tain-l'Hermitage negociant producing Hermitage La Chapelle Syrah from the hill's granite flanks. Now owned by the Frey family (since 2006).
Tasting: La Cave by appointment; wine shop open in Tain-l'Hermitage
Signature wines: Hermitage La Chapelle
Tip: La Chapelle from top vintages (1961, 1990, 2010) has 30 to 50 year cellaring potential and trades regularly at international auction.
Mauves family domaine with Hermitage holdings tracing to the 15th century, producing assemblage Hermitage Syrah and Marsanne from multiple lieux-dits.
Tasting: No public visits. Wines sold on allocation via importers.
Signature wines: Hermitage Rouge, Hermitage Blanc
Tip: The Cuvee Cathelin is a single-vineyard rarity made only in exceptional vintages.
Malleval domaine with vines across Cote-Rotie, Saint-Joseph and Condrieu, known for rich, concentrated Syrah with reliable terroir expression.
Tasting: By appointment at the domaine
Signature wines: Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde, Saint-Joseph Clos de Cuminal
Leading Condrieu domaine producing multiple single-vineyard Viognier bottlings alongside Cote-Rotie and Saint-Joseph.
Tasting: Open tasting room in Chavanay; appointment recommended
Signature wines: Condrieu Les Chaillets Vieilles Vignes, Condrieu La Petite Cote
Tip: Les Chaillets is the classic cuvee; Vertige is from the highest-altitude vineyards.
Andre Perret's Chavanay domaine, founded in 1984, produces Condrieu from the Coteau Chery lieu-dit on granite terraces above the village.
Tasting: By appointment at the domaine in Chavanay
Signature wines: Condrieu Coteau Chery, Condrieu Clos Chanson
Saint-Michel-sur-Rhone domaine producing ambitious Northern Rhone whites and reds with low-intervention and site-specific focus.
Tasting: Tastings by appointment at the domaine
Signature wines: Condrieu Le Grand Vallon, Saint-Joseph Le Grand Pompee
Saint-Peray specialist producing still and sparkling Marsanne alongside compelling Cornas from adjacent granite terraces.
Tasting: By appointment at the cellar in Saint-Peray
Signature wines: Saint-Peray Marsanne, Cornas Pur Noir
Organic and biodynamic-practicing Crozes-Hermitage estate with the Clos des Grives single-vineyard Syrah as its standout red.
Tasting: Tasting room open weekdays; Saturday by appointment
Signature wines: Crozes-Hermitage Clos des Grives Rouge
Tip: Among the most reliable value-for-quality bottlings in the Northern Rhone; biodynamic farming at accessible prices.
Alain Graillot elevated the Crozes-Hermitage appellation's reputation for serious Syrah beginning in 1985; La Guiraude is the old-vine prestige cuvee.
Tasting: Visits by appointment at the domaine
Signature wines: Crozes-Hermitage Rouge, Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude
Tip: The straightforward Crozes rouge is one of the best value reds in the Northern Rhone.
Larnage Crozes-Hermitage estate with parcels on the Hermitage hill, known for purity of fruit and mineral expression.
Tasting: By appointment at the domaine in Larnage
Signature wines: Crozes-Hermitage Les Pierrelles Rouge, Crozes-Hermitage Cuvee Louis Belle
Mauves reference estate for Saint-Joseph, run by brothers Pierre and Jean Gonon on old-vine granite parcels; one of the most elegant Saint-Josephs made.
Tasting: By appointment only at the estate in Mauves
Signature wines: Saint-Joseph Rouge, Saint-Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers
Tip: Wines sell out quickly. The Saint-Joseph blanc from Marsanne and Roussanne is a rare and beautiful white.
Chavanay family domaine across Condrieu and Saint-Joseph, producing clean, precise Viognier and Syrah with organic farming.
Tasting: By appointment at the domaine
Signature wines: Saint-Joseph Rouge, Condrieu
Maxime Graillot's own domaine in Mercurol. Old-vine Crozes-Hermitage parcels farmed organically with a site-specific focus.
Tasting: By appointment at the domaine
Signature wines: Crozes-Hermitage Les Lises
Tip: A producer to follow; each vintage shows increasing terroir precision and elegance.
Long-established Cairanne estate well-known for the Grande Garde cuvee from old vines across multiple appellations.
Tasting: Open tasting room; Monday to Saturday
Signature wines: Domaine de la Presidente Cairanne
Negociant house sourcing old-vine Rhone fruit across both north and south for barrel-aged cuvees of concentration and depth.
Tasting: By appointment; offices in Lourmarin
Signature wines: Tardieu-Laurent Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, Tardieu-Laurent Gigondas
Delas Freres, founded 1835 in Tain-l'Hermitage, is a leading Northern Rhone negociant producing benchmark Hermitage rouge, Les Bessards cuvee, and Saint-Joseph.
Tasting: By appointment at the Delas Freres cellars in Tain-l'Hermitage
Signature wines: Hermitage Les Bessards, Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes
Tip: The Les Bessards single-parcel Hermitage is the flagship; Saint-Joseph Sainte-Epine is excellent value.
M. Chapoutier's flagship tasting cellar at Tain-l'Hermitage, showcasing the full range from Crozes-Hermitage to signature single-parcel Ermitage cuvees. Braille-labelled bottles displayed throughout.
Delas Freres winery and tasting space in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols offering guided visits through cellars with tastings of Saint-Joseph, Cornas and Hermitage single-parcel wines.
The historic home of La Chapelle Hermitage, now owned by the Frey family. Cellar tours at La Roche-de-Glun cover the full Jaboulet range including the signature Hermitage La Chapelle.
The Rhone Valley wine trade body's urban tasting bar in Avignon's historic centre. The rotating selection spans the full Rhone Valley from Condrieu to Chateauneuf-du-Pape with over 300 references.
Cave de Tain cooperative's visitor centre and tasting room. The cooperative farms 1,000 hectares across Northern Rhone appellations; the full range covers Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage and Cornas, including the Nobles Rives prestige tier.
Yves Cuilleron's modern winery and tasting room in Chavanay at the southern edge of Condrieu appellation. Noted for expressive Condrieu whites and structured Saint-Joseph reds from old-vine Syrah.
Herve Souhaut's micro-domaine in the Ardeche produces low-intervention Syrah from ancient Serine vines and Viognier on steep granite terraces. Cult status among natural-wine sommeliers worldwide.
Tip: Contact Herve directly for cellar-door visits; there is no public tasting room calendar. The estate is intentionally difficult to reach and the production is tiny.
Eric Texier makes mineral, low-intervention northern Rhone whites and reds from obscure Ardeche parcels. Former nuclear engineer; domaine founded 1998.
Tip: Texier's wines are allocated through specialist importers. In France, La Cave des Papilles in Paris stocks the full range. The domaine itself does not maintain a public tasting room.
Stephane Robert's tiny domaine produces the finest Saint-Peray sparkling Marsanne and a remarkable Cornas from certified-organic vines. One of the northern Rhone's best-kept secrets.
Tip: The sparkling Saint-Peray Methode Traditionnelle is produced in tiny quantities and is almost impossible to find in export markets. Visit the cellar door in Saint-Peray for direct allocation.
Pierre and Jean Gonon's family estate in Mauves makes organic-farmed Saint-Joseph rouge from old Syrah on granite-schist plus Marsanne-Roussanne whites. Estate dates to 1956.
Tip: Gonon maintains no public website. Contact via telephone or a specialist importer. The wines sell out quickly from the cellar door each year; regulars reserve in advance.
Guigal's Cotes du Rhone blanc is Viognier-dominant, giving it apricot-blossom and stone-fruit aromatics at a fraction of the cost of Condrieu. Drink young for the freshest Viognier expression.
Tip: At under EUR15 this is one of the best-value Viognier-driven white wines in France. Serve chilled with a Provencal fish dish.
Wine and cheese
Private wine tour of the Rhône Valley, a day out in France tasting great wines in a unique atmosphere.
Discover two of the best preserved Roman monuments in the world: The Roman Theatre of Orange and the Aqueduct of the Pont du Gard (UNESCO Sites) and enjoy a wine tasti...
Explore the beautiful city of Avignon. See the Papal Palace, enjoy some lunch, visit Chateau Sainte-Roseline, and taste the wine of the Provence.
