Marselan
mar-suh-LAHN · Vitis vinifera ‘Marselan’
A 1961 French crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, named for the coastal town of Marseillan near where it was bred. Cab’s backbone, Grenache’s warmth — and, for now, one block of it in all of Texas.
/ What it tastes like /
Blackberry and black cherry up front, with the structure of its Cabernet parent and the round, warm fruit of its Grenache parent. It tends to run deep in color and full in body, often with a herbal or black-pepper edge behind the fruit. The kind of red that, as we found at Sandy Road, announces itself immediately.
/ Why it works in Texas /
It was bred to combine two grapes Texas already does well — Cabernet and Grenache — and it kept the useful traits of both: small berries and loose clusters that resist rot in a humid spell, plus real heat tolerance. It is barely planted here yet; Sandy Road, outside Fredericksburg, is currently the only vineyard in Texas growing it. If it catches on, that is where it started.
/ What to eat with it /
A big, structured red built for the grill: brisket, a smoked pork shoulder, a burger with char on it. The tannin handles fat and the fruit handles spice, so a peppery rub is no problem. It also did just fine next to a charcuterie board on a Hill Country afternoon.
/ From our visits /