North African Pinot Noir??!!

Just got back from a trip that included a brief stay in Tunisia on the coast of North Africa. Visited the ruins at Carthage. Those who remember their high school world history may recall that Carthage was defeated by Rome in the Punic Wars.

It is hot, hot desert terrain. Not what I would consider a climate for a a cool weather varietal such as Pinot Noir. But there it was on the shelves, with a label describing the contents as Carthaginian Pinot Noir. Were there mountains in the area more conducive to growing these finicky grapes? None that I could see.

Nevertheless the shop keeper said this was THE outstanding wine produced in Tunisia. How could I resist that pitch combined with a price of 8 Euros, which is about $12?

Will plan to open the bottle at a Pinot Noir tasting next week as a bonus curiosity wine. One safe bet is that no one will have tasted this wine before! And it will be fun to see if they really can grow good Pinot in North Africa, a land better known for its camels.

Cheers,

Dave