In Tunisia we are witnessing the rebirth of an ancient vineyard. The country mainly produces powerful red wines and rosés. Winemakers are also moving towards a more sustainable and qualitative wine production.
Phoenicians
influence
Viticulture appeared thousand years ago in Tunisia, under the influence of the Phoenicians.
Tunisia has experienced many foreign influences: from the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, to the Byzantines.
And the creation of a stable vineyard took some time.
In the 7th century, Muslims established a government and the culture of wine almost disappeared in the country for a thousand years, before being revived by the French protectorate in the 1880s.
In the 1990s, the country’s policy supported the rise of a more sustainable viticulture, concerned with the quality of the production.
Foreign investments in the vineyard and the modernization of infrastructures confirmed Tunisia’s potential. And the country started producing great vintages that won medals in international competitions.
Today, Tunisia celebrates its vineyards, through multiple wine tourism circuits.
international
varieties
The grape varieties cultivated in Tunisia are mostly international varieties.
Among the red grape varieties are Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
And among the whites, there are varieties such as Chardonnay, Muscat, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc.
There are seven AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) which are:
Grand Cru Mornag, with generous and full-bodied wines.
– Mornag
– Thibar
– Coteaux d’Utique, known for their finesse of bouquet and their velvety palate.
– Tebourba
– Sidi Salem
– Kelibia is made from a single grape variety, Muscat d’Alexandrie, also called “Muscat de Kélibia”, fruity and dry.
