La Ficelle de Saint-Pourcain Rouge

La Ficelle de Saint-Pourcain: A French Red with a Story

La Ficelle de Saint-Pourçain is exactly the sort of red wine that makes you wonder why we don’t drink more wines like this. Light, juicy and wonderfully fresh, it is made for easy drinking rather than power or concentration. Expect plenty of raspberry, wild strawberry and red cherry, soft tannins and a lovely lively finish. Give it a slight chill and it becomes particularly difficult to put down.

Produced by the Union des Vignerons de Saint-Pourçain, La Ficelle comes from one of France’s genuinely historic wine regions. Vine growing around Saint-Pourçain can be traced back many centuries, and the wines were highly prized at the French royal court during the Middle Ages. Today, Saint-Pourçain remains a relatively little-known appellation in the Allier, which is rather good news if you enjoy discovering interesting French wines away from the obvious names.

La Ficelle Rouge is a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, two grapes particularly well suited to this lighter, fruit-driven style. Gamay brings juicy red fruit and freshness, while Pinot Noir adds perfume, delicacy and a little extra structure. The wine is made with early drinking firmly in mind, preserving that bright, youthful fruit rather than chasing weight or heavy oak character.

In the glass, it is bright ruby red with aromas of raspberry, wild strawberry and red cherry, joined by violet, a little white pepper and a subtle savoury edge. The palate is light-bodied, juicy and energetic, with fresh acidity, supple tannins and plenty of crunchy red fruit. It finishes clean and refreshing rather than heavy, making this a brilliant red for warmer weather, lunches, picnics or simply drinking with friends.

It is also well worth trying La Ficelle de Saint-Pourçain lightly chilled. Around 20 minutes in the fridge before serving brings out even more of the freshness and makes those bright red fruit flavours really sing.

La Ficelle de Saint-Pourcain Food Pairing Suggestion:

Keep things suitably French with duck rillettes, cornichons and a good crusty baguette. Its bright acidity and juicy fruit cut beautifully through the richness of the duck. It is equally happy alongside charcuterie, pâté, soft cheeses, roast chicken or a plate of grilled sausages.

About La Ficelle de Saint-Pourçain:

• Made from Gamay and Pinot Noir in the Saint-Pourçain appellation of France’s Allier department.
• La Ficelle was first introduced by the Saint-Pourçain cooperative in 1987 as a youthful red designed to be enjoyed fresh.
• Each vintage traditionally receives a new illustrated bottle design created by a different cartoonist or artist.
• The name “La Ficelle”, meaning “the string”, refers to an old local story in which a knotted piece of string was dipped into a wine pitcher to measure how much a customer had drunk.
• Best enjoyed young and particularly delicious served lightly chilled.