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Producer : Domaine Ouled Thaleb
Region : Morocco (Morocco), Zenata (Morocco)
Bottle Per Case : 12 x 750 ml
Food Pairing : Breads, Cured Meat, Ham, Hard Cheese, Red Meat, Salted or Marinated Mushrooms
This wine is produced at the modern winery of Thalvin, not far from Casablanca, from selected parcels of Syrah vines, some 48 years old. It’s a and deep ruby colour with an expressive nose of black cherry, dried rosemary and licorice. The medium-bodied palate replays the nose. This Syrah would fool most people who would think its from southern French. Good length.
Bottles Per Case | 12 Pack |
---|---|
Bottle Size | 750 ml |
Producer | Domaine Ouled Thaleb |
Region | Morocco (Morocco), Zenata (Morocco) |
Alcohol | 13.5% alc./vol. |
Style | Warm and spicy reds |
Vintage | 2017 |
Farming Method | Sustainable, Traditional |
Grapes | 100% Syrah / Shiraz |
Food Pairing | Breads, Cured Meat, Ham, Hard Cheese, Red Meat, Salted or Marinated Mushrooms |
Descriptors | Floral, Fruity |
Wine Type | Red |
Wood Presence | Oaked |
Body | Medium |
Price of Case | $395.95 |
Domaine Ouled Thaleb is named after the tribe that owns the vineyards’ land and works at the winery. It was established in 1923, and the vineyards were planted the same year, with the first harvest in 1927. Located in the Zenata coastal appellations between Casablanca and Rabat, Ouled Thaleb led the renewal of the Moroccan wine industry in the 1990’s. While most of their fruit is estate grown, Ouled Thaleb partners with neighbouring growers to produce classic style wines under the direction of winemaker Stephane Marriot. The vines are gobelet trained to protect from the heat. Although the temperatures are high during the day, the Atlantic Ocean provides a cooling breeze and it is much cooler than in Meknes (which is further inland), with lower temperature at night.
With its high mountains (Atlas) and maritime influence, Morocco is a great area for growing grapes. French settlers brought their wine traditions with them when Morocco was a protectorate of France (1912-1956). When the settlers left after Morocco regained its independence, the kingdom of Morocco took ownership of the vineyards. The industry lost not only the French expertise that had created it, but also an important consumer base, both locally and in mainland France. As a result, the vineyards were either abandoned or replanted with cereal crops, and the production went from 400 million bottles a year to almost nothing – the Zniber family was the only one to keep the tradition alive at the Celliers de Meknes. It took King Hassan II – a graduate of the University of Bordeaux and friend of several producers there – several years to revive the industry. By offering French producers special prices to rent the land, he attracted several companies that replanted the vineyards with Carignan, Cinsaut and Grenache followed by Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Since 2000, the industry has slowly regained some of its splendour, and is back to producing about 43 million bottles. Most of them (more than 50%, and in some cases a lot more) are consumed locally. While the sale of alcohol to Muslims is in theory prohibited, the law is rarely applied.
It's important to remember that taste is subjective, and personal preferences play a significant role.
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