Morocco may be known for its desert landscapes, but the coastline to the west and the Atlas Mountains to the east allow for microclimates favorable for producing wines. Winemaking in Morocco dates back to before the Phoenician and Roman eras to the country's Berber origins. During the 7th century, Islamic bans on alcohol led to the decline of this tradition for centuries, and wine production was only revived with the French Protectorate around the turn of the 20th century. With independence in the 1950s, wine production suffered another decline, but this tradition has returned once again. During the 1990s, King Hassan II encouraged French investors and wine experts back to Morocco to revitalize Moroccan wine production. This oenological culture with such a deep history is now alive and well.
In the sun-drenched foothills of Morocco's Middle Atlas Mountains, Domaine de Baccari stands as a testament to the country's emerging wine renaissance. Under the leadership of owner Nahla Bahnini, winemaker Saïd Ouhmad and agronomist Yassine Dahouri are crafting wines that challenge preconceptions about Moroccan viticulture, drawing upon both ancient traditions and modern innovations to create distinctive expressions of their terroir.
The estate's vineyards benefit from the unique microclimate of the Meknès region, where hot days and cool nights create ideal conditions for growing wine grapes. The wine estate extends over an area of 22 hectares, within a 78-hectare property and consists of nine plots, each representing a small vineyard with its own identity, characterized by an exposure, a distinct soil and a specific grape variety.
Grape Collective talks with winemaker Saïd Ouhmad and agronomist Yassine Dahouri of Domaine de Baccari about winemaking in Morocco.
Saïd, can you talk a little bit about the history of Domaine de Baccari.
Saïd Ouhmad: So, the business started in 2015. Legally, it started in 2015.
(Saïd Ouhmad)
Could you tell us about your past as a winemaker?
I joined Domaine de Baccari in 2017 as an administrator. But, at some point, I started to work with the winemaking team working with the many enologists who worked here. Then I joined the winemaking team full time and especially focused on the laboratory side. Now I'm the manager of the laboratory.
Talk a little bit about some of the grapes that you work with.
Here, at Domaine de Baccari, we are producing three groups of wines. The whites are based on Vermentino, the rosè wines are based on Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, and the reds are based on Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These are the three groups. But our goal is to develop one group, a biological (organic) group.
Talk a little bit about how you feel winemaking in Morocco has improved over time.
Here we are in Meknes. It's the best wine terroir. But the wine in Morocco, in terms of quantity, has evolved every year and the consumption of Moroccan wine has also increased every year.
But the competition that exists now is the competition in terms of quality. We are putting our mark on the Moroccan market, but in terms of quality, not in terms of quantity.
Talk a little bit about how Morocco has this ancient history of winemaking, and yet it also has a very new history of winemaking.
The Europeans started the first production, but they trained a lot of people at the local level in Morocco. Because now, you will find that at every winery you go to, the model is different. Here, you will find Moroccans who took the trade by experience. Like me, I took this trade by experience. Yassine is a graduate of a technical school of agriculture.
Talk a little bit about some of the amphora that you are using alongside very modern technology.
We will always say that our winemaking is based on three infrastructures.
There is a quantity of wine that is made in the stainless steel, and a quantity of wine that is in the barrels, and a quantity of wine that is in the amphora. But these three require that we always look for tannins. The tannins that exist in stainless steel are not the tannins that exist in barrels.
And the same thing happens in amphora. Amphora, of course, is an old material, but it brings tannins, very specific for wine. We are the second or the first, if I remember correctly, to have used these amphora in Morocco, because they always bring minerality into the wine.
What are your hopes for the future of wine in Morocco? How will it evolve in the coming years?
I see that the wine culture will have great progress in Morocco. Why? Because now Morocco, as you know, is open to everyone. Morocco must guarantee a good level of tourism. That means that I assure you that the progress of wine in Morocco will be very, very good.
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Interview with agronomist Yassine Dahouri
Tell us about your background as an agronomist.
Yassine Dahouri: I am the head of viticulture at Domaine de Baccari. I joined the company in 2017. Before, I worked in other fields of agriculture.
(Yassine Dahouri)
Talk a little bit about the geology of Morocco as it relates to wine.
Here in the region of Meknes, we have a climate, we say, semi-arid. But over the years, the climate changes every year. For example, in the middle of Morocco, you have a climate that is a little cool, not fresh, but on the coasts, in the region of Rabat, for example, it changes a little, the climate, it starts to be very cool.
And when you go to the east, you have a climate that is very hot. It changes with the hot winds from the south. And Morocco, it has many climates, and the climates can change in each region.
In Morocco, there are a lot of terroirs.
There are terroirs that adapt to viticulture. For example, in Meknes, we have a soil that is a little clay, which adapts well to the grapes.
In the south, you have more of a sandy soil, and in the north, you have clay soil. You have several soils in Morocco and several different terroirs.
And maybe talk a little bit more specifically about the terroir in Meknes.
The terroir in Meknes is a terroir that adapts well to the grapes, to the fruit trees, to the olive trees, but it especially adapts well to the grapes.
Do you have any understanding of perhaps what types of grapes grew here in the past?
Yes, there are, for example, the old varieties. We tried to look for the old varieties to do a trial in the field. For example, the old varieties might have resistance against diseases, against climate change.
We are still looking for grape varieties, grape varieties that adapt well to climate change, with diseases that come from new insects, with new viruses. Until now, we haven't been able to find the old ones.
And which grape varieties do you work with now?
The grape varieties that we work with here in Domaine de Baccari field are Cabernet Franc, Vermentino, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. Each of these grapes has a unique way we need to work, unique techniques, they require a specific work. For example, Cabernet Franc is our pride here in the Domaine de Baccari field. With that we make the top of the range wine. It is a grape variety that is a late to ripen, it is the last grape variety that we pick. That means it takes a lot of time to get the result.
And there are grape varieties that are early for the white wines, these are the early grape varieties. And each grape variety has a different way we need to work the plant. For example, the white grape varieties, these are very sensitive grape varieties, which ripen with the first heat. You must always take care with these grape varieties, to pick them at the beginning of the summer. And then each variety, they work differently. It will ripen sooner or later, some of them are faster, whereas Cabernet Franc is the last grape variety.
What is the philosophy of viticulture at Domaine de Baccari?
The philosophy of Domaine de Baccari is to do something special. Here at Domaine, we don't try to make big production.
We try to pick fewer grapes but with more quality. We have a lot of work in the field. We look for tannins, aromas, fruit notes, for all the grape varieties.
And is Domaine de Baccari organic?
Domaine de Baccari is 100% organic. We have been working for a long time in a reasonable way, with reasonable treatments. We treat with flowers, with rosemary, with chamomile, we put compost and seeds on the rows to enrich the soil, to leave organic matter on the rows and make green fertilizers.
For example, for phytosanitary treatments, we always stay on reasonable treatments, with copper we respect the international dosage for copper and sulfur. And the other treatments are 100% organic. We make kaolin to protect against sunburns, and we put chamomile teas and other treatments. We do everything that is organic for our vineyards.
How has viticulture and winemaking improved in Morocco, in recent times?
For me, to improve the viticulture, the viticulture in Morocco, is not to look for big productions, to not kill the shepherds, and let the vineyards live for several years, and stay on reasonable treatments, and respect the environment, and work biologically (organically), this is what the market demands now.
The market now is looking for something biological, natural, no pesticides, no fungicides. The Domaine de Baccari is always open to the international market.
What are his hopes for the future of wine in Morocco?
For Domaine de Baccari, we are always looking to change the idea of the Europeans, because the Europeans always think that Morocco works in wine not to make quality.
We always think of being open to the international market and not stay only on the local market. To do all this, we must always respect the environment, nature, and always look for the grape varieties that give value to our wine.
