Egypt seeks to revive wine industry

In a vineyard north of Egypt’s capital Cairo, workers harvest grapes under the scorching sun.

This vineyard is one of several in the North African nation providing grapes to two companies now making wine in the country.

Originally practiced under the pharaohs, large-scale winemaking is slowly rising as the country strives to win over international wine markets.

Labib Kallas, a manager at the Kouroum of the Nile vineyard says, “We are creating a new page in wine production. All this is testing, until we truly become a wine-producing country. We must plant the vines in different locations with different types of grapes, that we can define what type of vines planted in different places. “

Today the country boasts of a number of wine varieties of reds, whites and roses all available in the market.

This revival is good news for restaurants in Cairo.

“We had some people here telling us there is the headache wine, and then there is the wine that is okay… But there is no good wine, they told us. And now, I think you actually have good wine, you still have the headache wine, but you also have really good wine that compares with most international wines,” said Gerard Steeghs, Dutch ambassador to Egypt.

As Egypt looks to broaden its periscope in the international market, the country is now importing grape varieties from various parts in the world. Furthermore, some local wines have grabbed international awards.

AFP