The Culture of Wine: Mediterranean Africa and Asia
Immediately, the countries of Mediterranean Africa and Asia evoke historical and contemporary political and religious difficulties. Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia now have a clear and sometimes polemical Muslim culture, but they also have a long history of wine production because of French colonisation. Turkey is another Mediterranean country whose culture has historically shifted between Europe and Asia with wine made in small amounts despite an anti-alcohol religious position. Meanwhile, the disputed territories within and between Israel and Lebanon have limited the development of their wine industries as well as causing plenty of conflict. Although all of these countries are not currently associated with wine, there’s a strong history of production which highlights the cultures of the countries, how they’ve changed, and the challenges they face.
israel and lebanon
Wine is integral to the Bible, a series of books which span Judaic and Christian history and which features countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe. In these books, wine serves many symbolic, religious purposes, the most famous being Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Wine plays an important role in the Old Testament too, used to celebrate birth, marriage, and religious ceremonies—reflecting a pan-Mediterranean culture where wine was central to everyday life.
Israel as a modern country was founded after the Second World War, still strongly disputed by Arab neighbours which has led to many wars including the current conflict. In that context, wine is of minor importance, but it has meant the wine culture of Israel and next door Lebanon hasn’t developed. These two countries have Mediterranean climates and wine has been made there for millennia: great wine can be made there. Instead, the countries are trapped in a series of needless wars.
Lebanon’s most famous producer is Château Musar whose business model is faintly ludicrous. They age the wines for years, only releasing them when they feel the wines are ready: the latest release may be younger than the next release. It’s remarkable, in a country that’s been burdened by war since the 1970s, that they—and other Lebanese producers—are able to make wine at all, let alone age them for a decade before releasing them.
north africa
Wine still remains central to many religious cultures which originated in western Asia/Mediterranean Europe: a major exception is Islam in which alcohol consumption is prohibited (although there are different interpretations of this rule). This is the dominant religion of North African countries which, when under French rule, had a significant wine culture that persists to a small degree.
Algeria is the most (in)famous. Until independence in 1962, the wines were used to beef up Languedoc blends to add colour and body. Languedoc’s climate is similarly warm, but massively high yields meant that the wines were thin and dilute and needed a bit of Algeria in them.
Algeria’s War of Independence was bloody and attritionial, a colony that France did not want to lose. The legacy of France’s colonial past is evident in France itself where there is a large population of African origin—many of France’s best footballers have African heritage. That creates racial tension, as seen through the popularity of the far-right party led by Marine Le Pen, now called National Rally.
Since independence, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia have become more fundamentally Islamic which has seen wine production fall drastically. In part that’s religious, though it’s also a rejection of French culture. But there are pockets of interesting wine made in these countries—Alain Graillot is a Rhône producer who makes wine in Morocco.
In Morocco, the climate is warm Mediterranean and at points almost touches southern Spain. Andalucia is a region heavily influenced by Muslim culture, as seen in its architecture and language—any Spanish word that begins with al is of Arabic origin, for instance alcohol. Spain still has enclaves on the Moroccan coast. Back in 2001, the Moroccan army celebrated the king’s birthday by invading the unpopulated Mediterranean island of Perdiz that belongs to Spain. Like France, there is postcolonial tension and immigration between the two countries.
turkey
It could be argued that Turkey has had a very negative influence on wine culture. The Ottoman Empire proscribed wine production across the countries it ruled, including Greece and some of the other Balkan states. Its current political situation is authoratarian, using religion as a base for strong, centralised government. But its wine industry should not be overlooked. Turkey lies directly between Europe and Asia, a prime example of religious tensions, conflicts, and conquests.
In all of these countries, there are amazing food cultures which have influenced neighbouring European countries and restaurants around the world. That food culture is part of a Mediterranean lifestyle—the big difference is that wine is less, or a non-existent, feature of the food experience. The culture of wine takes a different turn: food and wine aren’t inherently conjoined.
There ought to be many very good wines made in these countries, but they are examples of how domestic culture, religion, and politics prevent the industry to advance. There are far more important factors to take into consideration, but the absence of a successful wine culture echoes the many issues within the Mediterranean countries of North Africa and Western Asia. Territories are disputed, politics is often extreme, the European and US influence unhelpful. But studying their histories shows how alcohol, religion, politics, and identity are so clearly intertwined.
