Traveling through China to see the Charm of Marselan!

The 2nd Marselan Selection by CMB will be held on August 6-8 in Ningxia. At that time, Chinese Marselan will compete with Marselan from other international regions. Let’s look forward to this grand event and appreciate the unique charm of Chinese Marselan!

What is Marselan? Why does Marselan represent China? Where is the future of Marselan?

Vitis vinifera refers to the grapes that are used to make wine. There are currently over 6,000 grape varieties in the world that can be used for winemaking, but only about 50 varieties are capable of producing high-quality wines.Some of the more well-known varieties of vitis viniferas are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Marselan and others.

When the delicate aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon meets the passion of Grenache, Marselan, known as the heartthrob of the wine world, is born.

Marselan, also known as “马瑟兰” in Chinese, is a vitis vinifera that has Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Noir as its parents. Its name originates from its starting planting location – Marseillan, a town on the Mediterranean coast of France. In 2011, Marselan was permitted to be included in the French AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) variety list and has since become a globally popular grape variety.

01 The Charm of Marselan

 

Characteristics:

High quality: large spikes and small grains, high quality, has won many international awards.

High productivity: high yield and disease resistance.

Adaptability: heat resistant, adaptable to most regions.

Sensory characteristics: minty freshness, clear and fruity aroma, smooth and fruity on the palate.

Internationalization
Since the turn of the century, Marselan has been enjoying various forms of exchange such as wine tours, wine events, diplomatic visits, and inspections, continuously developing its presence. In 2023, the first Marselan Selection by CMB was successfully held in Ningxia, China, where a total of 259 Marselan wines from 18 regions in 11 countries, including China, France, Portugal, Italy, etc., participated. It is evident that Marselan has gradually taken the stage on the international scene.

 

 Marselan is mainly planted in the Languedoc region in southern France and the East of Helan Mountain in Ningxia, China. With the further internationalization of Marselan, the number of countries planting Marselan is increasing. In addition to China and France, other main countries include Bolivia, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, among a total of 11 countries. According to the statistics, the current global distribution of Marselan planting by continent is as follows: Asia accounts for 68%, Europe 28%, South America 8%, and Africa 1%. The 68% proportion in Asia is mainly due to China’s cultivation.

 

02 Appreciating the Charm: Marselan’s Journey in China”

 

Nowadays, the planting area of Marselan in China is approximately 60,000 mu (about 10,000 acres or 4,000 hectares), mainly concentrated in the regions of Ningxia, Xinjiang, Hebei, and Shandong provinces.

The First Encounter
Like Carmenere in Chile and Malbec in Argentina, Marselan has also found its new home in a New World wine country: China!

Marselan’s entry into China began in 2001. The Chateau Franco-Chinois in Huailai County, Hebei Province, was the first to introduce Marselan. Initially, it was just an experimental planting, but it unexpectedly became a golden signboard. From there, the spark has grown into a prairie fire,and it has now spread across almost all of China’s wine-producing regions, including the Shandong Peninsula, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Gansu, and Yunnan. From the initial 2.75 hectares to nearly 4000 hectares now, it is almost on par with France and has become the second-largest Marselan planting area in the world.

The Encounter
Marselan is well adapted in China and shows different flavor characteristics in different regions. In the Shandong region, the wine has a lighter color and is relatively light-bodied; in the Ningxia region, Marselan wines are the deepest and most full-bodied; the Hebei region falls in between the two; and in the Xinjiang region, leveraging its excellent natural resources, Marselan wines are more exuberant and rugged.

Currently, Marselan has become a very important research target in Chines wine industry, and many winemakers are willing to make different attempts with this variety. Especially in Ningxia, Marselan wines produced by several wineries have won awards repeatedly on the international competition stage!

Across the vast land of China, Marselan fully displays its unique charm. This encounter is truly worthwhile.

Chinese people planting Marselan; Source:The CMB Committee

The Future

Compared to Cabernet Sauvignon, which is currently the leading vitis vinifera  in China, Marselan has the potential to become a representative specialty variety in China. Currently, Marselan has a total planted area of 4000 hectares in China, making it the most widely planted variety outside of France.

The world’s top ten most influential wine consultants,a Professor at Beijing Agricultural College Li Demi said this about Chinese Marselan: “With its excellent production characteristics, strong adaptability, gorgeous and rich flavor, full and concentrated taste, and versatile style charm, it will bring us a magical and brand new Chinese wine experience.” We have reason to believe that Marselan, the rising star of Chinese wine, is on the ascent.

 

“The charm of Marselan originates from France,

Its fragrance lingers in China, and its aroma perfumes the world”

Marselan is not just a grape variety; it is more like a large-scale wine IP that has been Sinicized. It is rapidly developing and leading the way in the Chinese wine market. In the not-too-distant future, Marselan is certain to become the rising star of Chinese wine, telling the world about the unique charm of Chinese wine!

From August 6th to 8th, 2024, The 2nd Marselan Selection by CMB will be held in Ningxia. Let us look forward to more surprises as this “heartthrob of the wine world” collides with the world!