The Marselan grape variety is set to get its own international wine competition. The event recognises over a decade of global growth for the rising star of the wine world.
Created in 1961 by crossing Cabernet-Sauvignon and Grenache noir, Marselan has since then spread throughout its native region in the South of France and gone on to colonise several wine producing countries worldwide. From its Languedoc base, where it was created by Inra near Marseillan – hence its name – it has found favour with winegrowers in the Rhone Valley, and further afield. It is now a go-to grape variety for winegrowers in countries such as Spain, California, Switzerland and Israel and has even conquered China where it symbolises collaboration between the French and Chinese wine industries and has become the country’s flagship varietal.
Less prone to disease and drought than other grape varieties, it has earned a place in the sun due to the quality and typicity of its wines.
For all of these reasons, the organisers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles have decided to turn the spotlight on Marselan by launching the first international competition dedicated to the varietal. Held in Huaili in the province of Hebei, this major event aims not only to create a showcase for this upcoming variety and offer producers a chance to benchmark their wines against the international competition, but also to establish the foundations of a platform for dialogue and idea sharing focusing on Marselan, through a series of conferences and masterclasses. Celebrated Chinese winemaking consultant, Professor Li Demei, and educator, consultant and wine influencer Julien Boulard MW, have already confirmed they will be taking part.
About the organisers
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles was established in 1994. Every year, it brings together a panel of over 300 international judges and 50 nationalities to assess more than 9,000 wine entries from across the globe. Its organisers, Vinopres, are tasked with handling the technical side of a number of competitions including the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, but also international events such as the Belt & Road Wine & Spirit Competition, held for the third time in September 2019 in the Ningxia wine region of China.