Foncalieu launches new range

Les Vignobles Foncalieu has launched a new range of wines for the UK off-trade from the Côteaux d’Ensérune, focused on more ‘unusual’ grape varieties.

Coming from the IGP vineyards of Ensérune, which are 80% owned by growers that work with Foncalieu and called ‘Ensédune’ which is the old Roman name for the area, the range covers six wines at present; three reds, a rosé and two whites.

The wines include a Malbec, Marselan and Petit Verdot, a Cabernet Franc rosé and a Marsanne and dry Muscat.

Each wine is a single variety and comes from the vineyards of a single grower whose photograph forms part of the front label.

Speaking to the drinks business, Alexandra Ladeuil, export and marketing director for the co-operative, said it was “important for consumers looking for a story and a history.”

The range is being aimed at leading UK supermarkets and while Marie-Annick Consola, UK sales and export director for Foncalieu, added that varieties such as Petit Verdot and Marselan were trickier propositions for retailers to work with and there was a need to raise their profile. That said, the range has already been listed by a leading Dutch supermarket chain.

As Consola continued: “The aim was to be different. In the company we try to be forward thinking and innovative by proposing different things.”

The company added that it has ‘refreshed’ the packaging for its leading on-trade range, ‘Le Versant’.

The changes are subtle, admitted both Consola and Ladeuil (such as adopting a white rather than an off-white label) but it was hoped the slight tweaks made the range “more elegant” and would help drive further listings.