Wine was first produced in the Caucasus Mountains, although some researchers claim otherwise. Most scientists believe it was in Armenia that the first accidentally-made wines, was consumed.

Then came Babylonians, ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans who helped spread viticulture all over Europe and even North Africa.

Yet today, few Middle Eastern countries market their wines world wide for a variety of reasons – first internal demand increased, second North America, in general, is less interested in their wines.

Today Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Turkey produce considerable amounts of wine.

Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Armenia further east also produce a lot of wine, but geographically fall outside of the Middle East. Actually, the term Middle East has no geographical meaning, and was invented by English politicians for reasons of their own.

Of all the Middle Eastern countries, Greece produces the highest volume and by far the best, followed by Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, and Lebanon.

Although Turkey has 570 000 hectares under vines, most are table grapes for internal consumption and export. Of the 230 000 hectares of vineyards, the wine go to bulk export to European countries for blending, but today the quantity exported is much smaller, as Europe’s “wine lake” continues to grow exponentially.
Israel produces 266,000 hectolitres from its 17,000 hectares of vineyards. Both inhabitants and tourists consume much of the wine within the country. The United Kingdom is an old-well established market for Cypriot wines.

Greece, the largest and the best producer, in this writer’s mind, has improved quality in the last two decades. This was due to healthy capital injections from the European Union and wealthy Greek industrialists who suddenly discovered a love for high-quality wine. Try some of the wines of Gaia, Domaine Gerovassiliou, Alpha Estate, Kir-Yianni, Tselepos, Domaine Carras, Oenoforos, Boutari, even the co-operative in Lesbos is famous for its delightful sweet Muscat wines. You will be pleasantly surprised with the deeply flavoured wines of these wineries, but expect to pay higher prices than mainstream Greek products.

Greece, Israel, and Lebanon are the most advanced in vitiviniculture, but the potential of Cyprus is the best.

The eastern Mediterranean seems to have awakened in vitiviniculture after two millennia of slumber, and without doubt will catch most the New World wine producers in a few decades.

Grape varieties by country

Cyprus: Red Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, carignane, lefkada, xinomavro, maratheftiko
White: Xinasteri, muscat of Alexandria, chardonnay, malaga

Greece: Kotsifali, limnio, madelaria, aghiorgithiko, xinomavro, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, mavrodaphne, tempranillo, touriga nacional.
Assyrtiko, athiri, malagousia, moschofilero, Muscat of Alexandria, robola, roditis, savatiano, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, viognier

Israel: Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, cabernet franc, carignane, petit syrah.
Sauvignon blanc, white riesling, emerald riesling, muscat of Alexandria, chardonnay, gewürztraminer.

Lebanon : Cabernet sauvignon, carignane, merlot, syrah, mourvedre.
Merwah, obadieh, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay

Turkey: Bogazkere, okuzgozu, papazkarasi, kalecik, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, carignane
Narince, emir, sultaniye, semillon

Wineries of note:

Cyprus: Keo, Etko, SDAP.
Israel: Yatir, Barkan, Seahorse
Lebanon: Chateau Musar, Château Ksara, Kefraya
Turkey; Kavaklidere, Doluca

Guest Writer – Hrayr Berberoglu E-mail or interested in his books?.