In our post today, we feature six bottles of Foncalieu Wines which were sent to us from the vineyards in France. These wines are perfect for the Summer months and fabulous to enjoy as you sit on a hammock in your garden indulging in the beautiful sunshine, a good book and some barbeques. I personally find that a glass of wine always elevates my meal and makes meeting with friends so much more enjoyable and merry. This time, we are featuring a selection of wines starting from a dry white wine Le Versant Viognier, a light and refreshing Paradis Secret Rosé, lime coloured Sillanges d’Albariño, a full-bodied red Ensedune Malbec, a light and crisp tasting Piquepoul Rosé and finally, a delicious strawberry flavoured Les Amours d’Haut Gléon Rosé wine.
If you, like myself, have been moving away from the Old World French wines and enjoying more new world wines from Australia and New Zealand as they are lighter and more flavourful than these stunning wines from Foncalieu will change your mind about Old World wines. I have savoured each of the wine and now have a favourite bottle to sample on different days accompanied by different meals. Do keep on reading as I share about each of their gourmet wine, their flavours and how best to enjoy them. These are great as presents as well (hence would recommend you to buy in bulk) and their prices are very reasonable.
Now Les Vignobles Foncalieu which has been around since 1967 is actually a union of cooperatives located in the heart of Languedoc in France. Their territory stretches from the Corbières massif to the banks of the Mediterranean, from the Mistral- swept hillsides to the sun-caressed plains between Carcassonne and Béziers. Their vineyards are situated between ocean and mountains hence adding value and helping them to produce high-quality grapes and exceptional wines thanks to their 650 winegrowers.
Le Versant Viognier (2019)
Le Versant Viognier is a lovely dry white wine which has a yellow tint with light green glints in it. It is your perfect wine if you are looking for a fresh-tasting grape wine which is crisp and has a lingering finish to it. Exported from the finest plots of Les Vignobles Foncalieu from the varied terroir of the Languedoc, I found that this aromatic wine oozes a strong flavour of apricots and peaches and has a slightly spicy ginger finish to it. Retailing at a reachable price of £9.99 from Fine Wines Direct, this Pays d’Oc is listed as a country wine classification which is above a table wine, uses the cork and comes in 75cl bottle and contains 13.5% alcohol. As recently as the 1990s, few people had heard of Viognier because it was largely limited to a tiny and quite expensive enclave in the northern Rhône called Condrieu. As its fame spread abroad, however, so too did the vine. Le Versant replicates the exotic richness and aroma of Condrieu very well, especially given it costs a fraction of the price. I would recommend having this smooth and strong flavoured Vegan certified wine chilled and served with tuna, seafood or white meat such as chicken and light salads.
Paradis Secret Rosé (2019)
I love Paradis Secret, this is the second time we are featuring it, the first time was for our Mother’s Day Guide. This is an elegant wine originating from the South of France and it encompasses the traditional blend od Languedoc (Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault), sourced from east-facing hillside vineyards on calcareous limestone soils overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It has a pink coloured tint to it and the aromas are just captivating, I got a taste of peach and nectarine with a citrusy finish. I would recommend drinking this wine chilled when you need a refreshing tipple or paired with Mediterranean cuisine, pasta or seafood dishes. Priced at £14.99 you can purchase this from Majestic as a bundle of six bottles or as an individual bottle. The design of the bottle is so unique and it also makes a desirable gift for your bestie on her birthday. Foncalieu practice night harvesting in particular to harvest very fresh grapes and rapid pneumatic pressing to preserve the aromas and freshness of the wines, allowing them to produce remarkable rosé wines such as the Paradis Secret Rosé.
Sillanges d’Albariño (2019)
If a glass of white is your ideal drink, then the lime coloured Sillanges d’Albariño wine which has notes of honey and coconut and a generous aroma of fruit will tingle your taste buds. This fresh-tasting floral grape wine is best served chilled and paired with grilled seafood dishes or veal. If you are wondering about the name, in 2018, the Albariño acquires a new look and a new name by becoming Sillages. Foncalieu was the first producer to implant the Albariño in France (which originated from Spain), which is today among the 58 grape varieties authorized by the Pays d’Oc IGP label. If you notice, their packaging takes 3 trendy designs symbolizing the winds of Languedoc that shape it, this, of course, will appear randomly in each case. Originating from the Puichéric vineyard where oceanic and Mediterranean influences met. You can purchase this delicious screw-top bottle of white from Drinks and Co for £11.99. I found the wine easy on the palate and refreshing to drink with my meal.
Ensedune Malbec (2018)
This is a bright red ruby coloured wine which has a fruity and aroma with floral note to it. I love a good full-body wine and the Ensedune French Malbec is just that! It is packed with cherry and raspberry aroma and offers a floral hint of liquorice note to it making it both sweet and luscious on the palate. Perfect to be served with barbeques, steak, veal, pasta or a hearty roast beef dinner. I found the flavour to be full of punch and powerfully tasty. The Ensedune Malbec is characterised by one of the warmest and driest climates of France located at the south-west in Cahors. This Vegan wine which is pleasant, has a nice earthy flavour to and is best served at a temperature of 18-20 C. The Ensedune Malbec can be purchased from Hennings Wine for £9.99. It is so smooth, you could easily drink a couple of glasses without realising it.
Piquepoul Rosé IGP Coteaux D ‘Enserune (2019)
If you love a light, dry and crisp rosé which is easy to drink and highly perfumed then you will love the Piquepoul Rosé. Firstly, the bottle is easy to hold and its slim look makes it a unique gift to gift someone. The wine has a beautiful light tint of pink colour to it and it has delicate aromas of rose petals, lilac flowers, vine peaches and mangoes. I found it fresh-tasting, especially on a hot summery afternoon. The rosé can be drunk on its own or as an accompaniment with melons wrapped in prosciutto ham or roasted broccoli with chickpeas. Now if you are unaware, the Piquepoul Noir is a rare and forgotten grape variety which is the black Piquepoul, the brother of the white Piquepoul. Only a tiny number of Picpoul Noir vines remain, and almost all of them are located in southern France and in patches of eastern Languedoc where Foncalieu is located. The Vegan certified 75cl Piquepoul rosé bottle and contains 13% alcohol. If you are wondering why there is a picture of a hen in the front of the bottle, well it is because its original name evokes the mania used by hens to “bite” the grains scattered on the ground. This wine which retails for £9.70 is also a perfect companion for shellfish, cod or tapas dishes. You can order your bottle from Tanners to try it for yourself and as a present for a loved one.
Les Amours d’Haut Gléon Rosé
If you are looking for a light rosé wine with a burst of fruity strawberry flavour then this wine would be your sort of wine. I found the wine wonderfully intense in flavour despite its pale pink appearance. Chateau Haut-Gleon is the flagship estate of Vignobles Foncalieu in Corbieres near Carcassonne in the south of France. The 36-hectare vineyard sits among 260 hectares of woodland and the estate, built-in 1223, it is fed by three springs and Foncalieu eventually bought the estate in 2012. This beautiful dry rosé wine has won the Silver in the Global Rosé Masters 2020 and comprises of a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. Priced at around £8.97 you can purchase it from Mc Hugh’s. This is the perfect wine to be paired with aperitifs or your summer meals in the garden while you relax in the hot tub or on the lounge chair reading a book. The bottle is also beautifully designed and makes a wonderful gift to give someone to let them know how special they are.
About Foncalieu
Les Vignobles Foncalieu is dedicated to promoting the winemaking heritage of the South of France. The 1,200 passionate, committed winegrowers in this Union of Cooperatives share their experience and expertise to produce wines of exceptionally high quality. Les Vignobles Foncalieu is the only union of cooperatives with a presence in all of the winemaking departments of the Grand Sud region, stretching from Gascony to Languedoc-Roussillon, from the Côtes-du-Rhône to Provence.
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* We were sent these wines in return for a review. All opinions are our own. We do remind our readers to practise caution and to drink wisely.
14 comments
What a great bunch! These would make a great gift for my cousin. She’s a huge wine fan.
How lovely, and very kind of you too
Wow what a fantastic selection of wines to choose from. I’m a big fan of Malbec, so I would have to go with that one if I had to choose!
That is one stunning bottle of wine and perfect with a meal as well Jay
Paradis secret Rose sounds divine ! i so need to buy myself a bottle or two
Yes you definitely do, stunning wines
Paradise secret is so attractive to me. I am sure it goes well with a lovely dinner. Love the bottle.
It is fabulous to be drunk on its own
As an avid wine drinker I wholly approve this post! The Viognier looks delicious as does the Malbec. This is quite a selection 🙂
It sure is, I loved each and every one of the wine featured
These look like beautiful wines for the season! I’d love to try them…thanks so much for sharing! Cheers!
You are welcome, the wines were lovely
I have a bottle of wine to open. I was supposed to open it when my granddaugther was born (it was from her mom’s baby shower) but I didn’t yet. I was thinking I might even save it. It has a cute label and all from the shower.
Well it is about time you cracked that wine bottle open