Morocco

Wine-Searcher describes Morocco as an ancient kingdom in the northwestern corner of Africa, shaped over the centuries by Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and various modern European powers, and calls it a gateway between Europe and the African continent. Morocco's wine regulatory framework is administered by ONSSA, the Office National de Securite Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, which awards Appellation d'Origine labels to wines produced within delimited geographic areas. Per ONSSA, Morocco's viti-vinicultural heritage includes 14 Appellations d'Origine Garantie (AOG) and 3 Appellations d'Origine Controlee (AOC): one for still wines called 'Les Coteaux de l'Atlas,' one for traditional-method sparkling wines called 'Cremant de l'Atlas,' and a newer AOC called 'Les Cotes de Rommani.'

• ONSSA administers Morocco's Appellation d'Origine system for wines
• 14 AOG zones and 3 AOC designations recognized, per ONSSA
• Wine-Searcher describes Morocco as a historic gateway between Europe and Africa
• Three AOCs: Les Coteaux de l'Atlas, Cremant de l'Atlas, and Les Cotes de Rommani, per ONSSA

Wine-Searcher traces Morocco's wine history to Roman-era production, followed by a slowdown during centuries of Islamic dominance. Interest revived as French influence increased from the 1830s, and France established a protectorate over Morocco in 1912 under the Treaty of Fez, with Spain granted zones of interest in the north and south. Under French administration Morocco's wine quality rose markedly, though its volume never matched neighboring Algeria. When Morocco regained independence in 1956, Wine-Searcher reports that tens of thousands of hectares of productive vineyards lost the expertise of their French creators, and within roughly two decades many Moroccan vineyards were taken over by the state or replaced with cereal crops. Wine-Searcher credits King Hassan II, a graduate of the University of Bordeaux, with a decade of campaigning to revive overseas interest in Morocco's vineyard potential; at the time of his death in July 1999, large French wine companies were again planting vineyard hectares.

• Roman-era viticulture followed by a slowdown under Islamic dominance, per Wine-Searcher
• France established a protectorate over Morocco in 1912 under the Treaty of Fez, per Wine-Searcher
• After 1956 independence, many vineyards were state-taken-over or replaced with cereal crops, per Wine-Searcher
• King Hassan II, a University of Bordeaux graduate, campaigned to revive the wine industry before his death in July 1999, per Wine-Searcher

Per ONSSA, the Appellation d'Origine label is a quality mark attributed to Moroccan wines produced within delimited geographic areas. ONSSA states that for each viti-vinicultural campaign, three attribution sessions are held: 'Primeur' in October-November, 'Exceptionnel' in December-January (held only on a motivated request from the Association des Producteurs de Raisin au Maroc, ASPRAM), and 'Pleine saison' in March-April. ONSSA lists the governing texts as Decret no. 2.75.321 of 12 August 1977 on winemaking, holding, circulation and trade of wines; Arrete of the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform no. 869-75 of 15 August 1977 on the regime of wine appellations of origin; Arrete no. 1955-98 of 8 October 1998 on general production conditions for AOC wines; Arrete no. 1957-98 of 8 October 1998 on the AOC 'Les Coteaux de l'Atlas'; Arrete no. 352-09 of 12 February 2009 on the AOC 'Cremant de l'Atlas'; and Arrete no. 250-14 on the AOC 'Les Cotes de Rommani.' Producers and cooperatives seeking an Appellation d'Origine label must submit an application following a defined model, per ONSSA. Separately, ONSSA's decree list dates the Chateau designation to Order no. 815-04 of 29 chaabane 1425 (14 October 2004).

• Appellation d'Origine label attributed in three annual sessions: Primeur, Exceptionnel, and Pleine saison, per ONSSA
• Exceptionnel session requires a motivated request from ASPRAM, the Association des Producteurs de Raisin au Maroc, per ONSSA
• Foundational wine-trade regulation: Decret no. 2.75.321 of 12 August 1977, per ONSSA
• Chateau designation governed by Order no. 815-04 of 14 October 2004, per ONSSA

Per Wine-Searcher, Morocco is divided into five wine regions holding a total of 14 AOG zones: the East (Berkane, Angad and Beni Sadden AOGs), Meknes/Fes (Guerrouane, Beni M'tir, Saiss and Zerhoune AOGs), the Northern Plain (Gharb AOG), Rabat/Casablanca (Chellah, Zemmour, Zaer, Sahel and Zenatta AOGs), and El-Jadida (Doukkala AOG). Wine-Searcher identifies the Meknes region, midway between the peaks of the Middle Atlas and the Atlantic coast, as home to Morocco's finest terroir, benefiting from a relatively balanced climate sheltered from both the Sahara and the ocean, though August temperatures there regularly approach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Wine-Searcher also notes that the Casablanca area has attracted producers such as Thalvin, whose Domaine des Ouled Thaleb wines are labeled to the Zenata AOG within the Rabat/Casablanca region.

• Meknes/Fes region includes the Guerrouane, Beni M'tir, Saiss and Zerhoune AOGs, per Wine-Searcher
• Rabat/Casablanca region includes the Chellah, Zemmour, Zaer, Sahel and Zenatta AOGs, per Wine-Searcher
• Meknes terroir is sheltered from both the Sahara and the Atlantic, per Wine-Searcher, though August temperatures regularly near 40C (104F)
• Zenata AOG, within the Rabat/Casablanca region, is used by producer Thalvin - Domaine des Ouled Thaleb, per Wine-Searcher

Wine-Searcher reports that the vast majority of Morocco's roughly 50,000 hectares (123,552 acres) of vineyard is planted to red grape varieties. Initial plantings in the late 1990s consisted primarily of Carignan, Alicante Bouschet, Cinsaut and Grenache, along with local indigenous varieties such as Abbou, Doukkali and Maticha. These have since been joined by what Wine-Searcher calls 'cepages ameliorateurs' (improver varieties): Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, reflecting strong French influence on the Moroccan wine industry. Small amounts of white wine are made from Chenin Blanc and the southern French varieties Muscat and Clairette, and Wine-Searcher notes that Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are also grown, in increasing volumes, despite the country's warm climate.

• Roughly 50,000 hectares (123,552 acres) of vineyard, mostly red varieties, per Wine-Searcher
• Initial plantings: Carignan, Alicante Bouschet, Cinsaut and Grenache, plus indigenous Abbou, Doukkali and Maticha, per Wine-Searcher
• 'Cepages ameliorateurs' Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot reflect French influence, per Wine-Searcher
• White varieties include Chenin Blanc, Muscat, Clairette, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, per Wine-Searcher

Wine-Searcher names Domaine des Ouled Thaleb, Chateau Roslane, Domaine du Val d'Argan, Les Celliers de Meknes, Domaine de la Zouina and Zniber Vineyards among Morocco's notable producers, and identifies a Domaine des Ouled Thaleb red blend as the best-scoring Moroccan wine in its database as of its last update. Wine-Searcher describes the Moroccan wine industry as consistent and well-established despite operating within a relatively conservative Muslim country, and notes a revival driven by an influx of foreign investment. The Chateau Roslane wines are produced under the AOC 'Les Coteaux de l'Atlas,' per Wine-Searcher's product listings.

• Notable producers per Wine-Searcher: Domaine des Ouled Thaleb, Chateau Roslane, Domaine du Val d'Argan, Les Celliers de Meknes, Domaine de la Zouina, Zniber Vineyards
• Wine-Searcher describes the industry as consistent and well-established, revived by foreign investment
• Chateau Roslane wines carry the AOC 'Les Coteaux de l'Atlas' designation, per Wine-Searcher

Primary sources: https://www.onssa.gov.ma/approvals-and-quality-labels/obtaining-the-guaranteed-aog-and-controlled-aoc-label-of-origin-for-wines/?lang=en, https://www.onssa.gov.ma/alcoholic-drinks/?lang=en. Secondary source: https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-morocco. Last verified 2026-09-17