“Like anything that ages, marsanne rewards those who offer them time. No two vintages age the same,” says Jo Nash, general manager at Tahbilk winery in the Nagambie Lakes region of Victoria.
Here, marsanne vines dating back to 1927 are both the largest and oldest plantings in the world. Tahbilk’s history with marsanne, a rare white wine grape originating from the northern Rhône, goes back to the 1860s.
In addition to mastering the art of harvesting and fermentation over five generations of family ownership, it is the purity of the fruit that gives Tahbilk marsanne its versatility. The vineyards are situated near the Goulburn River tributary, which keeps the grapes cool. And while most of the estate’s historic buildings are still in use, Tahbilk is today a leader in sustainable wine production.
“The beauty of marsanne is its versatility and the drinking experience can be strikingly different due to the winemaking style or the age of the wine,” Jo says.
The wines are fresh and crisp in their youth, developing complexity and intensity over time. Marsanne is also imminently food-friendly – pair young wines with rich chicken and seafood dishes, and older marsanne with crisp lemon fish or a cheese platter.
To highlight these unique characteristics, the Purbrick family, who have owned the winery and its vines since 1925, set aside small quantities of estate marsanne each year for the museum release program. Visit the Tahbilk cellar door (just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne) for a tour of the estate, followed by a marsanne tasting to learn more about the history of this amazing wine, or pick up a range of vintages online.
2022 Tahbilk Marsanne
The low-yielding and challenging 2022 vintage delivered a true-to-Tahbilk marsanne of lifted and intense lemon citrus, spice and pear fruits with a zesty minerality and cleansing acidity. Time in the cellar will undoubtedly bring on a toasty, honeysuckle and orange marmalade richness and complexity.RRP $21 | Drink to 2032 | Shop this wine
2017 Tahbilk Museum Release Marsanne
A cellar release, the 2017 vintage shows typical aged marsanne toast and honeysuckle characters on the nose, with hints of marzipan flowing onto a complex and developed palate that’s graced with youthful lemon, lime and lanolin notes on a deliciously clean finish.RRP $27 | Drink to 2026 | Shop this wine
2016 Tahbilk 1927 Vines Marsanne
Displaying all the elements of the remarkable pedigree of 1927 Vines Marsanne, the 2016 vintage brings penetrating straw, ginger spice and citrus fruit aromas to a still-evolving palate of nashi pear, grapefruit and honeysuckle notes. An energetic mineral acidity graces a clean and steely finish, providing the framework for greater complexity to come.RRP $48 | Drink to 2045 | Shop this wine
For more information or to book a tasting visit tahbilk.com.au.
