Blauer Portugieser (BLAUW-er por-chew-GAY-zer)

A.

Created in 1961 by crossing Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, the grape variety Marselan was made by Professor Paul Truel in southern France. While Truel hoped for a structured, heat-resistant, high-yielding grape with large, juicy berries, Marselan wound up having small berries and was considered an initial failure due to its low juice yield. It made a comeback in the 1990s as winemakers began to value its deep color, aromatic intensity, deep flavors, and sustainability. The country that produces the most Marselan in the world is France, where it is common in Languedoc blends, but China has rapidly expanded its plantings to become the world’s second-largest source of Marselan. Marselan has been heralded as a potential flagship variety for the growing Chinese wine industry. It thrives in diverse and challenging climates, from the dry windy foothills of Ningxia to the humid coastal regions of Shandong and, compared to Cabernet Sauvignon (China’s most planted grape), tends to have sweeter fruit flavors and softer tannins, both of which appeal to many Chinese tastes.