Wine from Algeria! Who would'a thunk.
Ok, for some reason I may have missed this in Geography class. When I think of Algeria, I think of desert, sand, sun and boiling hot! Just right for growing red grapes, right? Well think again young man(that's me) and go back to school(wikipedia.com).
In this region, midday desert temperatures can be hot year round. After sunset, however, the clear, dry air permits rapid loss of heat, and the nights are cool to chilly. Enormous daily ranges in temperature are recorded. Algeria has always been noted for the fertility of its soil. 25% of Algerians are employed in the agricultural sector. Of the crops raised, wheat, barley and oats are the principal cereals. A great variety of vegetables and fruits, especially citrus products, are exported. Algeria also exports figs, dates, esparto grass, and cork. It is the largest oat market in Africa. Uh Oh, where's the grapes?
While not a significant force on the world's wine market today, Algeria has played an important role in the history of wine. Algeria's viticultural history dates back to its settlement by the Phoenicians and continued under Algeria's rule by the Roman empire. Just prior to the Algerian War of Independence, Algerian wine (along with the production of Morocco and Tunisia) accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total international wine trade. With as much land under vine as the countries of Germany and South Africa, Algeria continues to maintain a wine industry with over 70 wineries in operation.
All of Algeria's vineyards are located in the Hauts Plateaux region extending towards the Moroccan border. Bordering the sea, this region has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and dry, hot summers and is very similar to the southern wine regions of Spain.
The main grapes of the region was Carignan, Cinsaut and Alicante Bouschet. Clairette and Ugni blanc have become the dominate grape varieties with some smaller plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Mouvedre and Syrah. Algerian wines are characterized by their overripe fruit, high alcohol and low acidity.
You are all very welcome for the Geography lesson, but now, how I found the wine.
On our recent vacation we dined one early evening at the
Zerza Mediterrano Restaurant on 6th St. and 2nd Ave. in lower Manhattan (West Village) which features Moroccan Cooking. I ordered duck and Shirley ordered lamb and I was in the mood to try a North African wine. The Chateau Tellagh Medea red wine was the only one served by the glass and I was apprehensive about ordering a full bottle of Moroccan wine. I thought the aromas were a little kinky, but the wine was actually very, very nice. So much so, that I bought a bottle of what is a $9 wine for $28 to bring home. Tonight I opened that bottle. A blend of 40% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 15% Carignan, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aromas are still kinky. At first, a little spray paint, but quietly turns to a woodsy, cherry cough drop aroma. That cherry, a little spice and mixed red fruit came alive in the mouth. The finish was a smooth and pretty long. Extraordinary with both the duck and the lamb, but tonight I had neither, so I opted for goat cheese from
Lively Run Goat Dairy in Interlaken NY. I cut up some Feta and Cayuga Blue. OK with the Blue Cheese, fantastic with the Feta.
Unfortunately, this will be a very difficult wine to find. If you are lucky enough to live near a large city like New York City, I recommend you pick a few of these up when you find them. If not, they can be purchased on-line. Check out
Grand Wine and Liquor for ordering.
The Baco Noir grape is a French hybrid and tends to be vigorous and fairly resistant to the common ills of grapes in the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada. It is also gaining popularity in Oregon.
