The History of Vineyards in Algeria

Algeria is one of the oldest wine producing countries of the world. The Romans used Algeria as their breadbasket as well as their vineyard, prolonging a history of viticulture, which began before the Roman Empire.

Semitic, Aryan, Egyptian, Arab, Greek, and Roman Cultures greatly influenced the propagation and cultivation of bountiful vineyards along the Southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. 2000 years ago the Medes and Persians brought cuttings of the Proles Orientalis family to an area where they settled and whose capital city Medea, gives its name today to a celebrated vintage. Ruins and mosaics in Tipaza, Cherchell, Timgad, and Tebessa illustrate the presence of grape varieties introduced by the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans

In the 12th Century, new varieties of grapes were introduced from Egypt and Northern Arabia and later, varieties such as Macabeo, Rosalda de Tolca, Criolla, Mataro, and Grenache were brought from Spain and Portugal by the Moors. The Turks later introduced Chaouch and Khalili.

Vineyards were planted in the Zaccar, Medea, Tlemcen, Dahra, and Mascara regions on the Southern shores of the Mediterranean. These sturdy varieties were planted in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains at an altitude of 1500 to 3000 feet, at first most of the harvest was used for table grapes rather than for wine.

When the French came to Algeria they brought Ugni, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Alicante-Bouschet, Plante Mula and Cabernet. Algeria was fortunate not to have been affected by Phylloxera, so, while the French vineyards were practically devastated by the epidemic in the middle of the 19th century, Algerian vines continued to prosper. Even today the country's diverse varieties are protected from the disease by the sandy soil, which stops the proliferation of the insect.

By 1938 the wine industry had reached a peak of 400,000 hectares and 22 million hectoliters (over 500 million gallons). Before Independence, wines were exported by the shipload for blending with wines produced in other countries. Since then, Algeria has developed and marketed its own distinctive wines. The ONCV, the National Marketing Office for Viticulture Products, exports wine throughout the world, and has recently launched a special marketing campaign in the US.

Algerian wines have their own unique character resulting from a combination of rich sandy soils and a hot sun. Algeria produces today between 500 to 600,000 hectoliters (about 15 million gallons), a production already on the rise considering the aggressive re-planting of vines through out the most suitable areas of the country. The ONCV has a multi-year program to expand the planting of vineyards. It is anticipated that in six years, Algeria will be producing 1,500,000 hectoliters (close to 40 million gallons per year). Algeria has the same type of soil as California, but with more rain during the winter months. ONCV has also indicated that the agency will be producing and marketing an organic wine as well.

The ONCV has 12 bottling plants, 3 distilleries, 4 wine exporting stores and four wine pipelines at Oran, Mostaganem, Benif-Saf and Algiers. Algerian wines are produced in five major regions. They include:

Other smaller terroirs produce wines such as Ain Bessem-Bouira, , Monts du Tessala, Khayyam, Montagne des Lions, , Alicante d'Oranie, Fontaine du Genie, Nadim and Trappe. White wines include the Clairette. Liqueur and dessert wines include Bordji, La Treille-Muscat and La Treille-Grenache.