Marsanne and Food Pairings
Ingredients and Styles
Most Marsanne available in the United States is dry, so I focus on pairings with that style here. The rare dessert wines can be treated much like late-harvest Sémillons, and the sparkling wines share much in common with other dry bubblies, though the higher alcohol level of the St.-Péray offerings should be considered, especially if you're preparing spicy foods.
Food pairings need to accommodate Marsanne's smooth texture and chubbiness. Sauces that contain cream, butter, or reductions of stock are very successful with a Marsanne-based blend, as they mimic the character of the wine. Likewise, richer ingredients like duck, scallops, lobster, and even roasted root vegetables are seamless matches. A classic dish like brandade, the Provençal preparation of puréed salt cod and potatoes is an exceptionally good match; the wine can handle the cod's salt quotient without coming off as too alcoholic. (You can hedge your bets by selecting a less alcoholic example of the wine.) Seafood lasagna or a mild Thai coconut curry are also good companions.
Because Marsanne tends to be alcoholic to begin with, too much spicy heat can make it taste and feel like grappa if you're not careful. Use red pepper flakes and chiles sparingly and opt for examples with alcohol levels closer to 13 percent than 14.5 percent. A spicy Szechuan dish and Marsanne could result in a gastronomic combustion and a dash for the Rolaids.
A little bit of bottle age can bring out a distinctly nutty tone in most Marsanne and Marsanne-based wines. Play this up by using nuts as an accent, as in chicken with hazelnuts, cream, and sweet spices or macadamia-crusted fish. And don't overlook the sweet citrus nature of this variety. Adding a little orange or tangerine zest is a natural bridge for this wine, whether you're making a risotto, a marinade, or even the crust for a savory tart, which can work nicely with many Marsanne-based wines.
| Wine Style | Ingredients | Cuisines + Cooking methods |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Marsanne, younger, either blended or as a mono-varietal wine | Butter, cream Milder cheeses Duck Most seafood (scallops, lobster) Richer fish (hamachi/yellowtail) Root vegetables, including potatoes Rich vegetables (squash, plantains, plantains) Orange, tangerine Sweet spices, such as cinnamon, mace, curry powder, cumin |
Think “rich but mild, ”i.e. don’t over-spice Sauces that contain cream, butter, or reductions of stock to match the texture of the wine Pastas or risottos with a creamy sauce, e.g. a risotto of shrimp, peas, and lots of butter or spaghetti served with chicken, lemon zest, olives, and reduced chicken stock Mild cheese soufflés Roasted root vegetables Butternut-squash ravioli, pumpkin soup, sautéed plantains Brandade, the Provençal preparation of puréed salt cod and potatoes, or cream of potato soup Hamachi sashimi Cajun crayfish étouffée Add orange or tangerine zest as a bridge to the wine, e.g. in a risotto, marinade, or even the crust for a savory tart |
| Dry Marsanne with some bottle age | Nuts Butter, cream Duck Rich seafood (scallops, lobster) Root vegetables, including potatoes Rich vegetables (squash, plantains, plantains) Orange, tangerine Sweet spices, such as cinnamon, mace, curry powder, cumin |
See above, but ramp up the richness of the preparation, e.g. fish en croûte (wrapped in pastry) Emphasize the nuttiness. Use browned butter instead of regular melted butter, e.g. scallops in a brown butter sauce Use nuts as an accent to play up the nutty note in the wine, e.g. chicken with hazelnuts, macadamia-crusted fish |
| Dessert-style Marsanne | Oranges Vanilla Caramel Sweet spices, such as cinnamon, mace Fig Tropical fruits such as guava and papaya |
Cheesecake Butterscotch, caramel, toffee or crème brûlée Orange mousse, orange tart Desserts with cooked tropical fruits, such as papaya pudding, guava paste and cheese Fig desserts |
Pairing Pointers
Marsanne works well:
- Most seafood—the richer the better! From a mild Cajun crayfish étouffée to simply broiled lobster, these dishes pair well with the rich texture of Marsanne, without the flavors fighting too hard. With aged wines, think about richer cooking or saucing techniques that pick up on the nutty character of the wine – a fish en croûte (wrapped in pastry) or scallops in a brown butter sauce, topped with toasted breadcrumbs.
- Many rich first courses. The smooth, creamy texture and lightly nutty flavor of my favorite hamachi sashimi is magic with Marsanne. A mild cheese soufflé or a cream of potato soup also works. Rich but mild is the key here.
- Pastas and risottos with creamy sauce. As pasta and rice are each blank canvases onto which we paint flavors, they are perfect backdrops to many Marsanne-based wines. A risotto of shrimp, peas, and lots of butter is lovely, as is a bowl of spaghetti served with chicken, lemon zest, olives, and a sauce of reduced chicken stock.
- Rich vegetables. I adore Marsanne (and Roussanne too) with most squash and squash-based dishes. A plate of butternut-squash ravioli and a bowl of pumpkin soup are great examples of dishes that pair well. And with sautéed plantains – yum!
- Exotically spiced dishes. Marsanne's ripe-fruit character is a reasonably neutral backdrop; like many other aromatic white wines, it pairs nicely with curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and mace, among other spices.
Marsanne doesn't work:
- Very spicy dishes. Hot spices increase your perception of alcohol, and Marsanne tends to be high in alcohol. Use a soft touch with your hot salsa, favorite chile sauce, or shake of red pepper flakes. Don't attempt to pair hot Asian cuisine with a rich Marsanne blend unless you enjoy heartburn.
- Lighter preparations. Given the full-bodied nature of this wine, it's easy to squash and lose simple dishes behind its girth. It's gentle, but still a giant.
- Very smoky foods. Marsanne can be overwhelmed by mesquite-grilled meats, slowly smoked chicken, or a smoked-salmon terrine. The wine may still work, but it will lose any nuance of harmony with the dish.
- Very sharp dishes. This warning may seem counterintuitive, as you might expect the dish's acid to fill in the gaps in the wine, but it usually just takes out what's left. Avoid sweet and sour treatments, acidic sauces and ingredients (vinaigrettes, eggplant, zucchini), and even ceviche, unless you have a reasonably tart example of the wine.
- Artichokes, asparagus, and other problem children. The low acidity of Marsanne means it can't compete with these difficult vegetables. Try a glass of white St.-Joseph with a steamed artichoke and you'll see what I mean.