Marsanne is a white wine grape, most commonly found in the northern Rhône, where it is often blended with Roussanne. It is also grown in Switzerland, where it's known as ermitage blanc or ermitage, Victoria in Australia, and California. In Savoie it is known as grosse roussette.

In the Rhône, Marsanne is the most widely planted white wine grape in the Hermitage AOC where it is a component of the white Hermitage wines in a blend with Roussanne. Up to 15% of the red wine version of Hermitage can include Marsanne. Marsanne produces deeply colored wines that are rich and nutty, with hints of spice and pear.

As Marsanne ages, the wine take on an even darker color and the flavors can become more complex and concentrated with an oily, honeyed texture. Aromas of nuts and quince can also develop. The grape most likely originated in the Northern Rhone region where it is widely planted today.

It is a principle component of the white wines from Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph AOCs. Along with Roussanne, up to 15% of Marsanne can be added to the red wine of Hermitage under Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) regulations. In the Saint-Péray AOC, it is used for both still and sparkling wine production.

In the Southern Rhone, Marsanne is not one of the permitted white grapes in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC though its frequent blending partner, Roussanne, is. (In Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends, Clairette blanc adds similar characteristics as Marsanne) It can be found in some white wines from the Côtes du Rhône AOC. While Marsanne is mostly made into a dry wine, some producers in the Rhone have also experimented with making a dessert-style straw wine with Marsanne.

Outside of the Rhone, Marsanne is also found in the Savoie region of France where the grape is known as Grosse Roussette and in the Languedoc where it is often blended with Viognier. It is a permitted grape in the Provence wine of Cassis though it is not widely used.

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