Marsanne – Ermitage in Valais
Marsanne takes its name from the eponymous village near Montélimar in France’s Drôme region. The grape has been grown in the area for several centuries, as well as in Ardèche, Isère and Savoie.
Marsanne arrives in Valais in the mid-19th century, between 1845 and 1870. One Colonel Dénériaz is reputed to have planted the first vine at the bottom of Clavoz, to the east of the city of Sion. Marsanne Blanche often takes the name Ermitage in Valais, a reference to the prestigious appellation, Hermitage, in the Drôme (Côtes du Rhône) in France, a wine-producing area particularly known for its Marsanne.
Source: Histoire de la Vigne et du Vin en Valais, «Marsanne, Cabernet Sauvignon et Mondeuse Noire s’implantent à la fin du XIXe siècle», José Vouillamoz, ampelographer.