This is the white workhorse grape of the Southern Rhône and much of Southern France, and widely planted in Australia as well. Marsanne is a sturdy, hardy grape that produces a full-bodied wine – with the heft of a good Chardonnay. Its relatively simple fruity flavors make it a natural candidate for a blending base, though interesting varietal Marsanne can also be produced. In the U.S., the total 2004 Marsanne harvest was a whopping 323 tons.