Fast Facts: Tunisia

by Amanda Barnes December 12, 2017

written by Amanda Barnes December 12, 2017

What are the essentials of Tunisia’s wine region? We’ve pulled together a Tunisia wine guide so that you can get to grips with this North African wine country and its wines, including: the essentials of terroir (the soil types, climate, average temperatures, rainfall, longitude and latitude, and altitude); the main grape varieties used for different wine varieties; the viticultural methods, age of vineyards and vine training systems; the winemaking techniques, wine styles and tasting notes; and the production area in size and number of producers.

Where is Tunisia, and where are Tunisia’s wine regions?

Tunisia is in northern Africa facing the Mediterranean sea and only 150km from Sicily. It’s main wine region is Cap Bon, a north-eastern peninsula that juts out into the Mediterranean. There are, however, vineyards further down the coast and also some smaller vineyards further inland.

Tunisia has seven AOCs:

Grand Cru Mornag
Mornag
Coteau de Tébourba
Sidi Salem
Kélibia
Thibar
Côteaux d’Utique

Tunisia Wine Guide: Essentials of Tunisian Terroir

Climate and landscape

Tunisia’s wine regions have a Mediterranean climate with warm to hot summers and mild winters. The wine regions are predominantly close to the coast so they have a maritime influence with cooling breezes.

The Sirocco wind is a hot Saharan wind that usually blows in July and August just before harvest. A mild Sirocco wind will dry out any humidity in the vines; however, a harsh Sirocco wind (rare) can reach over 35˚C and cause some dehydration or burning of the grapes.

Tunisia’s landscape is made of low hillsides and flat plains.

Average temperatures

In the Cap Bon the average summer temperature is 28˚C, and the average winter temperature is 10˚C.

Average rainfall

There are many micro climates in Tunisia. The average rainfall in the Cap Bon is 350mm per year; however recent years have seen rainfall drop to 200mm a year. Irrigation is necessary for young vines.

Soils in Tunisia’s wine region

clay
sand
limestone-calcareous
mixture of all the above

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Latitude

36.6° N
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Longitude

10.5° E
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Altitude

Sea level to 600m

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Tunisia Wine Guide: Viticulture Facts & Vineyard Management

There are some old plantings of vines in gobelet form, which are unirrigated. However, the majority of vineyards in Tunisia are trellised and have large, open and sprawling canopies in order to protect the grapes from direct sunlight and the wind. Irrigation is used, especially for the youngest vines.

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Tunisia Wine Guide: Grape Varieties

Over 65% of Tunisia’s wine production is rosé wines, with just 25% red wine and less than 10% white wine. The most popular varieties grown are:

Carignan
Mourvèdre
Cinsaut
Alicante Bouschet
Grenache
Syrah
Merlot
Muscat of Alexandria
Chardonnay
Pedro Ximenez

However, there are small plantations of many other varieties including Viognier, Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional.

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Production area and annual production of Tunisian wine

Tunisia has over 31,000 hectares of vineyards planted, the majority of which is in Cap Bon.

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Tunisia Wine Guide: Food Pairings

Traditional Tunisian cuisine is a great fusion of African, Arabic and Mediterranean cuisine, so there are a multitude of flavours to pair wines with. Check out our Tunisian food and wine pairing guide online.

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Interesting Facts about Tunisian wine

Tunisia is home to the world’s first documented viticulturist, Mago (or Magon). Mago was an agronomist, viticulturist and writer in Ancient Carthage (200BC) . He wrote the first known guide to growing and cultivating vines and making wines.

Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes has been writing about wine and travel since 2003. South America has been her home since 2009, but she is currently on a mission to unlock the world of wine by traveling Around the World in 80 Harvests!