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2021 Ardèche Syrah “Syrah Mauve”
Domaine Jean-Claude MarsanneThe Marsanne’s vines in the Northern Rhône
Clémence Marsanne
Of all the Northern Rhône producers we work with today, Domaine Marsanne was the first whose wines Kermit imported, back in the early 1980s. “My first taste of [the domaine’s] wine,” he wrote in the February 1982 newsletter, “was in Burgundy when Aubert de Villaine served the 1977 at lunch in Bouzeron.” After a brief period of importing the family’s Saint Josephs and Crozes-Hermitages, the family prioritized its small production for local clientele and Kermit went on to find other vignerons around the region’s sleepy villages who would ultimately help turn such appellations as Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph into the revered sources of Syrah they are today.
Then, a few years ago, Kermit recognized the Marsanne name on a wine list in Paris and, remembering his relationship with the family decades before, ordered a bottle. Providing great pleasure and typicity of its northern Rhône terroir, the bottle was enough to inspire renewed contact with the current generation of Marsannes, Jean-Claude and his two daughters, who produce not only exquisite Saint-Josephs but also an inviting and exuberant Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah from two granitic lieux-dits, Les Chalaix and Pout, planted in 2016. Whereas Marsanne’s Saint-Josephs and even the Crozes-Hermitage possess dark-fruited depth, this cuvée is all about the charms, deliciousness, and fun of young-vine Syrah. These aren’t qualities you might often associate or get to experience from the grape variety, but this bottling will no doubt change that.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Syrah |
Appellation: | IGP Ardèche |
Country: | France |
Region: | Northern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne |
Winemaker: | Jean-Claude Marsanne |
Vineyard: | Planted in 2016, .77 ha |
Soil: | Granite |
Aging: | Fermented in stainless steel tanks for 4 weeks without SO2. Aged in stainless steel tanks for 11 months |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12% |
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About The Producer
Domaine Jean-Claude Marsanne
The Marsanne family, as their name attests, has a long and deep-rooted history in the northern Rhône, in particular around Mauves, the birthplace of the Saint-Joseph appellation. In 1920, current owner Jean-Claude’s grandfather, Jean-Pierre, became the first in the family to focus solely on vineyards—no easy task given the impossibly steep slopes of Mauves, where everything must be worked by hand and pickaxe. Jean-Pierre started with just a few small parcels, selling off his crop to prestigious négociants, and was quickly renowned throughout the region for the exceptional quality of his grapes. His untimely passing in 1950 forced his son, Jean, to quit school at age 16 to take over the domaine. He continued his father’s work in earnest, his vineyards often being recognized amongst the village’s best, not just for their exposition and soil, but also for the attention to detail young Jean paid to each vine. The grape sales financed some small land purchases in and around Mauves, and the domaine slowly grew to 3 hectares. In 1970, Jean made the leap to begin making and bottling the wines himself. Over time, a small, but loyal following developed, especially among France’s fine dining establishments, which valued the finesse and elegance of Marsanne’s cuvées. The domaine remained largely unknown on the international scene, overlooked by many journalists and clients who sought out bolder, more extracted styles.
Since taking over from Jean in 1991, Jean-Claude has continued to add select new parcels, growing the domaine to 9.6 hectares. While still mostly focused on Syrah from the hallowed terroir of Mauves, he now farms a few small plots of Marsanne for his Saint-Joseph blanc, as well as some Viognier and Syrah in the Ardèche hills west of the village. He also inherited a superb plot of Crozes-Hermitage that once belonged to his grandmother.
Kermit came across Jean Marsanne during his early adventures in France in the 1970s, and was struck by the wines’ aromatic complexity and Jean’s meticulous care for the vineyards. He even managed to import a few bottles in those early days. Kermit and the Marsannes lost touch and life went on, until decades later when Kermit spotted a familiar label while dining out in Paris. The bottle was ordered, uncorked, and an old collaboration was renewed.
Jean-Claude holds tightly to the traditions of his family. These include farming the steepest parcels by hand, as was done by his grandfather; using indigenous yeasts for slow, natural fermentations, like his father taught him; and aging his wines extensively on fine lees, releasing each cuvée at its most expressive moment. The reunion with Marsanne is one of great pride on both sides.
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2021 Côte-Rôtie “Les Roses”
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2021 Côtes du Vivarais “Fûts de Chêne”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
A good doctor prescribed the wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the Sun King, Louis XIV, when he suffered an unknown maladie. When the king’s health was restored the tasty remedy enjoyed a vogue at court. Lord, send me a doctor like that!
Inspiring Thirst, page 117