Marsanne is the most widely planted white grape of the Northern Rhone Valley and makes up the greatest percentage of the white wines of St. Joseph and Hermitage, and Crozes-Hermitage. Along with Roussane, up to 15% of Marsanne can be added to red wines of Hermitage under AOC regulations. Marsanne is also frequently blended with Roussane in white wines from the region.

Single varietal bottlings of Marsanne are a relatively new phenomenon, but at its best, this temperamental grape offers wonderfully aromatic, nutty wines with fine aging potential. More often, however, the grape lacks the necessary acidity to age well, a consequence of its sensitivity to extreme temperatures: when the climate is too warm, Marsanne is short on acidity; while when too cool, the wines tend to be neutral and uninteresting. One strategy employed by winemakers is to harvest Marsanne just before it hits full ripeness, in order to retain some acidity. Marsanne is also grown successfully in Victoria in Australia. Marsanne and its related blends are best enjoyed with seafood and shellfish.