Winery notes (2018 Vintage)
"Exhibiting all of the character Marsanne aficionados would expect from a Tahbilk release with some bottle age… Lemon gold in colour. The nose is lofted and fresh as a daisy still fantastic mouth-watering classic Marsanne acidity shining through. Lemon and lime then lead into a nutty and marzipan characters hinting at the further aging potential of this wine.
One of the world’s rarest grape varieties with its origins in the Northern Rhone and Hermitage regions of France, Tahbilk has some of the oldest vines and largest single holding of Marsanne in the world. Tahbilk’s history with Marsanne can be traced back to the 1860’s with the sourcing of ‘White Hermitage’ cuttings from the ‘St Huberts’ Vineyard in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. The cuttings were in fact Marsanne but sadly none of these plantings have survived. The Estate still does however produce Marsanne from vines established in 1927 – some of the oldest in the world.
Tahbilk Marsanne has a dedicated global following due to its thrilling character and appeal as a young wine with intense lemon, citrus and tropical fruits on a crisp mineral edged finish. It’s proven ability to develop added complexity and character if cellared, when rich honeysuckle and citrus marmalade characters come to the fore, has led to the Purbrick family to set aside small quantities of each vintage to be then made available when bottle-aged.
As a young wine Marsanne is very much a 'universal-soldier' when it comes to food matches but certainly light Mediterranean and Asian dishes would be well up that list. As it ages then its more full-bodied character would lend itself very well to richer and deeper flavoured white meat and seafood curries and stews."
91/100 Judges' Comments, Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 (2018 Vintage)
"Scents of waxed and buttered lemon, toasty, with hints of hazelnut aromas. Textured yet delicated on the palate, very long."
Jeni Port, James Halliday's Wine Companion, August 2024 (2018 Vintage)
"Wickedly youthful, Marsanne has the potential to age every bit as splendidly as Riesling or Semillon. Here's the proof. Bright yellow hues introduce aromas of beeswax, buttered toast, citrus, apricot and pear. The taste remains youthful and fresh with a developing texture – the middle palate is more rounded than the '17 – and is essentially complex. But it still has a way to go."