VININTELL MAY 2016, ISSUE 28 Photo: Nicole Melancon SURPRISING ENCOUNTERS The Emergence of “Old-New” Wine Producing Regions: Ethiopia, Moldova & Turkey CONTENTS ETHIOPIA MOLDOVA TURKEY Brief background ..............................3 Brief background .......................... 10 Brief background .......................... 22 Area under vines ................................4 Area under vines ............................ 12 Area under vines ............................ 23 Cultivars .......................................................5 Cultivars ................................................... 12 Cultivars ................................................... 24 Certification systems.....................5 Certification systems................. 13 Certification systems................. 25 Production ................................................5 Production ............................................ 14 Production ............................................ 26 Stock status ...........................................6 Stock status ....................................... 15 Domestic Consumption ........ 27 Domestic Consumption ............6 Domestic Consumption ........ 16 Exports ..................................................... 27 Exports .........................................................7 Exports ..................................................... 17 Imports ..................................................... 29 Imports .........................................................8 Imports ..................................................... 19 Genetic Manipulation and ................................... International position .....................9 International position ................. 20 Biotechnology 31 Genetic Manipulation and Genetic Manipulation and Taxes and Prices ........................... 32 Biotechnology.......................................9 Biotechnology................................... 20 Producer income and Producer income and Producer income and state revenue ..................................... 32 state revenue .........................................9 state revenue ..................................... 21 Forecasts ............................................... 33 Forecasts ...................................................9 Forecasts ............................................... 21 INTRODUCTION Top of mind when one thinks of wine regions driver. The following few editions of VinIntell will or countries a few usual names arise: France, attempt to describe some of the lesser-known Chile, Germany, Spain, Italy, California, wine producing countries or areas in the Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand… world. Various factors are leading to new areas However, globally, new, rediscovered and opening up as producing regions including emerging wine regions are becoming more climate change, emerging markets and foreign than just blips on the radar. Think Moravia, investment. For this the first edition, VinIntell Tasmania, Mongolia, the UK and even looks at Ethiopia, Moldova and Turkey as “old- Romania, Ethiopia, Moldova and Turkey. New new” wine producing and consuming regions. wine discoveries are also a new competitive 2 ETHIOPIA BRIEF BACKGROUND Ethiopia is among the lesser known non-tradi- Vineyards established near Addis Ababa and in tional wine producing counties. It is rare to the south-east by Italian troops who occupied open a wine bottle and reading on the label part of the country from 1936 to 1941 were later produced in Ethiopia. Yet Ethiopia has a tradi- nationalised, then privatised and a few large tion of wine making that stretches unbroken to producers have entered the scene producing the reign of the Queen of Sheba. Traditionally, serious wine. It has a great climate and it is not Ethiopia has been making a local wine called too hot. Wine experts say parts of Ethiopia's tedj, a type of honey-wine flavoured with ger- diverse landscape, which includes high plateaux sho leaves, that are similar to hops. However, and verdant valleys as well as six climatic zones, this ancient wine-making tradition is gradually are perfect for grape growing. There are only being taken over by the modern form of wine- two local producers, Castel, the French bever- making, and some high-quality wines are being age player and Awash Winery, which has Live produced in the country. Ethiopia is growing its Aid founder Bob Geldof as a director. The own grapes and producing its own signature Castel Group is one of the world's biggest pro- wine. Due to the proximity to the equator, it is ducers of wines and beers and in 2014 pro- even possible to make two harvests per year. duced its first Ethiopian Rift Valley wine. 3 CASTEL WINERY founder and President of the Castel Group, at Castel, which was founded in Bordeaux, Meles’s Palace in 2007. Meles understood a France in 1949 by a family of nine brothers and combination of mild climate, limited rainfall, and sisters, has been operating for more than 60 volcanic soils could make his country an ideal years. Group Castel is the 3rd largest wine location for wine growing. The construction of producer in the world and the 2nd largest beer the modern winery was completed in 2012. and soft drinks business in Africa. The idea of AWASH WINERY establishing a Castel winery in Ethiopia was Established in 1956, Awash Wines is Ethiopia’s born during a meeting between Ethiopia’s late longest established wine maker. The winery president, Meles Zenawi, and Pierre Castel, has a 500 ha farm in Merti Jirsu and a 42 ha plot in Ziway, about 163 km south of Addis Ababa. Significant investments have been made to upgrade facilities and further improve quality. It still dominates the country’s wine market. Like its local competitor Castel, Awash has plans to quench the wine thirst of Ethiopians by expanding their production. AREA UNDER VINES Table 1: Summary Vineyard size (planted) 258 Hectares Investment 520 Million Birr (US$24m) Employees Number 256 Permanent, 588 Casual CASTEL AWASH Planting 750 000 vine seedlings of French Awash Wineries, the only other producer, has varieties, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah 542 ha of prime land with 133 ha of vines for red wine (90%), and Chardonnay for white growing a variety of wine (10%) in the Ziway Vineyards (125 ha), grapes in the Upper Castel decided to take advantage of the Awash Valley, with potential domestic market. Ziway, situated two harvests in around 1 600 metres above sea level, with November and May sub-humid to sub- arid climate, Sandy Loam yielding a total of 3 type of soil variety, mean annual precipitation 300 tons of grapes a of 650 to 700 mm and its all year average year. It is also planting temperature of 25oC is deemed suitable for on an additional 36 ha the grape varieties imported from Bordeaux. plot. 4 CULTIVARS CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS CASTEL The organic farming method introduced and employed in the development of Ziway Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes Vineyard is conducted within the boundaries were chosen for the reds that make up 90% of the new Environmental Management of Castel's Rift Valley production, and System (EMS), through other internationally Chardonnay grapes for the white wines. The recognized accreditations such as Terra Vitis wine produced is aromatic and fruity. The and local standards and laws. Castel Group has launched a new super-pre- mium wine brand, Rift Valley Cuvee (Cabernet PRODUCTION Sauvignon) and Acacia Cuvee Prestige Currently, the two wineries in the country com- (Chardonnay). Acacia Wine Collection will bined produce almost 12 million bottles of include two wines: medium sweet red and dry wine per year. white blend. The collection has been five years in the making with on-going planning and CASTEL taste testing to make sure the brand was right. Castel has seven different types of products, AWASH two white wines and five red wines: Acacia Dry Red, Acacia Medium Sweet Red, Acacia The Upper Awash Valley is situated 180 km Medium Sweet White and Rift Valley Merlot, south-east of Addis Ababa. From this location, Rift Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Rift Valley the grape harvest is brought to its two winer- Syrah and Rift Valley Chardonnay. The ies, Lideta and Mekanisa, where they make a Company plans to export roughly 50% of its range of 8 table wines. The grapes that are product mainly to Ethiopians abroad. Since grown are Petit Syrah, Barbera, Nebiollo, putting its products on the market in 2014, Chenin blanc and the native, Dodoma. They there has been positive market acceptance. have plans to further expand the vineyard. The Castel hopes to more than double production vineyard also grows a variety of food crops to 3 million bottles a year. such as maize and teff (a local staple) for its community of workers. Awash also makes a AWASH range of wines that are renowned throughout Awash says the terroir where it grows its vines Ethiopia. Awash and Kemila, its white wines, in the Awash Valley is perfect for wine and and Gouder and Axumit, its reds, are four “uniquely we enjoy two harvests a year.” classic wine. It recently launched its Gebeta Awash has two wineries: Mekanisa, the older range of premium wines to enhance the fla- of its two wineries, produces about 30% of vours. Awash’s wine. The other winery Lideta, the hub of Awash's administration and wine pro- duction produces about 70% of Awash’s wine, including all of its Axumit red and Kemila white wines. The company, which has 555 employ- 5 ees, currently produces four core brands i.e. Its priorities are expanding the