Morocco
Located in the northwest corner of Africa, Morocco borders the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The relatively high elevations, rich soils and temperate weather with hot, dry summers and warm winters make Morocco ideal for growing grapes. There are seven winegrowing regions in Morocco, 14 Appellation d'Origine Garantie (AOG) and one Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) designation: Côteaux de l'Atlas 1er cru. Approximately 35,000 acres of land has been given over to the country’s wine production with over 40 million bottles of wine sold each year, mostly to overseas markets such as China and India, but also to ex-patriots and tourists within Morocco itself – most Moroccans do not drink alcohol due to religious prohibitions. The country’s wine industry provides employment for nearly 10,000 Moroccans. Traditional red wine grape varieties are Alicante, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsaut, however in recent years there has also been considerable increase in the growth of Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The traditional white Moroccan wine grapes are of course, Muscat and Clairette.