Domaine de Baccari Red 2021

Three Mediterranean varieties, cool altitude and a more delicate reading of Moroccan red wine.

Domaine de Baccari Red blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Syrah. It is this combination, on a vineyard site at 650 metres above sea level, that gives the wine much of its character: the varieties bring ripeness and density, while the estate’s sunny yet relatively cool conditions preserve a fresher line than the usual image of Moroccan red wine might suggest.

The grapes are hand harvested, held in cold storage for 24 hours, then vinified separately by plot in small stainless-steel vats. For this cuvée, fermentation includes whole clusters, while ageing combines 500-litre barrels, large casks and stainless steel. The estate states that its red wines are generally aged for between 18 months and two years.

This vintage is now showing some development: ripe dark fruit, blackcurrant, liquorice and graphite on the nose, followed by a balanced, persistent palate with emerging notes of leather and chocolate. The estate itself describes the wine as generous and fruit-driven, with supple tannins, a blackcurrant finish and a delicate, refreshing style.

Serve it slightly cool. That is arguably when the wine best reveals what distinguishes Baccari: an approach to Moroccan red wine that seeks freshness in a landscape one might instinctively imagine as much hotter and more powerful.

Southwest of Meknes, on the first foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Domaine de Baccari has 22 hectares of vines within a 78-hectare family estate, at 650 metres above sea level. The vineyard is divided into nine separate plots, each worked according to its own exposure, soil and grape variety. Fine red clay soils lie over soft limestone, in a continental climate tempered by Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, with abundant sunshine but relatively cool conditions.

In the early 2000s, the owners decided to revive winegrowing on the family property by replanting the vines. Since then, the estate has developed a plot-by-plot approach, with hand harvesting at individual plot maturity, 24 hours of cold storage for the grapes, and separate vinification in small stainless-steel vats.

The vineyard has been certified organic since 2022 and is now being converted to biodynamic farming. Cover crops, mulching, biodynamic preparations, compost made partly from resources generated on the estate, and solar panels are all part of a broader approach that treats the property as a living agricultural ecosystem, where vineyards coexist with olive trees, fruit trees and permaculture gardens.