It was born in southern France in the early 1960s as a hybrid between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, becoming one of the most unique varieties in the wine world.
Marselan, a grape that until a decade ago was used mainly as a blending component, has recently become one of the trendiest varieties globally, particularly in countries with hot climates.
The first Israeli winery to recognize the potential of Marselan and produce a wine exclusively from this variety was Recanati Winery.
“Marselan was initially developed to withstand hot climates,” explains Kobi Arbiv, Recanati's chief winemaker. “It’s a fantastic variety for our climate due to its remarkable ability to thrive in diverse locations, especially hot ones. It's highly productive in terms of growth, foliage, and fruit yield. Despite its sensitivity, it manages to yield rich harvests and maintain its quality.”
Arbiv, whose philosophy is to create wines that are enjoyable and easy to drink—what he describes as “complex and rich in flavors yet accessible even when young”—dedicated two plots to one of the winery's most intriguing wines: 'Gris de Marselan.'
“This variety allows immense versatility for winemakers, particularly for making rosé. That’s why I chose to create a pink wine from it. Its floral profile, evident even in the red wine, is part of the charm of our Marselan.”
Two Vineyard Plots, One Wine
Recanati, Gris de Marselan, produced annually since 2013, comes from two vineyard plots in the Golan Heights. One is in Kidmat Tzvi, at 500 meters above sea level on basalt soil, and the other is in Tel Phares at 750 meters, with denser planting of about 300 vines per dunam.
According to Arbiv, "The combination of these two terroirs provides a complete experience of floral freshness, fruit richness, and complexity."
Did you plant the plots specifically for this wine?
"Exactly. Producing rosé is technically challenging, even more so than producing single vineyard reds, especially when the goal is to create high-quality rosé rather than a by-product."
“In the world, not all plots are initially intended to become rosé. The rosé we produce at Recanati comes from plots that were planted to be rosé and are cultivated as rosé.”
How much attention is given specifically to the rosé?
One of the winery's leading wines, 'Marselan Reserve,' is made from grapes of a small plot that is actually a sub-plot within the plot designated for producing 'Gris de Marselan.'
"The small Marselan plot we use is an isolated 8-dunam plot that we manage separately," says Kobi.
What's the difference? It's the same variety.
“Precisely because of the floral profile, for 'Gris de Marselan,' I grow it with slightly higher yields, resulting in larger berries, unlike the red where I stress the vines and limit water to keep the berries small.”
“With the Gris, it’s the opposite. You don’t experience any tannic elements in the Gris, while in the red, it can easily happen because Marselan’s skin is thick and it also has seeds. For the Gris, I ensure a very short maceration with the skins and ferment at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks only, to preserve the freshness.”