Vineyard areas Grape varieties and wine styles Wine Regions Cities

There is still an ethnic market in France for North African wines, but it is hard to see why anyone else should want them. They most resemble the unimproved wines of the Midi, but these days there is so much fruit and freshness flowing from the south of France that consumers are increasingly unwilling to tolerate anything else. Indeed it is all too easy to forget that Carignan, left to itself in a hot climate, can make spectacularly fruitless and harsh wine, as can Cinsaut, Aramon and Alicante Bouschet, all of which red varieties are North African staples. There are also non-French varieties such as Farhana, Hasseroum, Rafsai, Zerkhoun; and there are some very good French grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvedre. Grenache tends to get over-alcoholic and flabby, and Pinot Noir thrives best in much cooler climates than North Africa's, although both varieties are planted. But it is Carignan that dominates. White wines are made from Clairette and Ugni Blanc, with the best whites being Muscats from Tunisia. These have their own appellations and can be sweet or dry.

The best North African red wines come from Morocco. Moroccan winemaking is probably the most upto-date in North Africa. The majority (85%) of production is red, and most of the rest is rose, a very pale, almost white, wine sometimes called vin gris. The reds can be rich and chewy, but the whites are not successful.

Algeria has had a well-developed quality wine system since colonial days, when there were 12 VDQS areas. The best wines are the reds from the mountain vineyards.