On the nose at first Brussels sprouts. Overall, a rather artificial wine that doesn’t deliver much pleasure, neither in the mouth nor in the aftertaste.
This wine has been produced in the Meknès region of Morocco by Les Celliers de Meknès. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. At Casablanca airport it sells for 20-25 EUR.
Located midway between the peaks of the Middle Atlas and the Atlantic coast, the Meknès wine region offers the finest terroir to be found in Morocco. In 2009, Château Roslane, located in the “prestigious” Côteaux de l’Atlas 1er cru, was the first estate accorded a Chateau name.
As a former colony of Rome, Morocco has been producing wine for centuries, even though the Islamic dominance almost halted its production.
Interest in winemaking was revived in the 1830s as the French increased their influence in the region. Although it never competed with its larger neighbour Algeria (also a former French colony) in terms of quantity, the quality of Moroccan wine increased markedly during the French occupation.
When Morocco regained full independence in 1956, its vineyards were left without the expertise of the French winemakers. In the following years Moroccan vineyards have either been dug up and replaced with cereal crops or taken over by the state.
In the 1990s, during the rule of King Hassan II, a law graduate of the University of Bordeaux, the Moroccan wine production started to improve once more, thanks to foreign (primarily French) investment and know-how. Nowadays Morocco is again the second biggest producer of wine in the Arab world, after Algeria.
Country: Morocco
Region: Meknès
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah
Type: Red
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Les Celliers de Meknès
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 1/5