Food culture
Moroccan Wine Explained
It surprises many visitors that Morocco — a Muslim country where most people don't drink — is also one of the oldest and largest wine producers in the Arab world. Vines have grown here since antiquity, the French Protectorate industrialised the trade, and today estates around Meknes and Benslimane make reds, whites and a characteristic pale 'grey' wine. This guide explains Moroccan wine: its history, its styles, and where and how to enjoy it.
- Read
- 8 min
- Topic
- Food culture
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- Morocco has an ancient wine tradition, expanded under French rule.
- The main regions are around Meknes and Benslimane/Casablanca.
- The signature style is vin gris — a very pale rosé.
- Alcohol is sold only in licensed venues, not in the medina or most shops.
A long, quiet history
Wine has been made in Morocco since Phoenician and Roman times — the mosaics of Volubilis attest to it — but the modern industry dates from the French Protectorate in the early twentieth century, when large vineyards were planted on the plains. After independence the industry shrank, then revived from the 1990s with foreign investment and modern estates. Today Morocco is among the largest wine producers in the Arab and Muslim world, most of it consumed domestically by tourists and by Moroccans who drink.
The regions and styles
The heart of Moroccan wine is the Meknes/Fès plateau, with its higher altitude and cooler nights, and the coastal Benslimane–Casablanca zone. Producers make a full range, but a few styles stand out.
- Vin gris (grey wine): the national signature — a very pale, dry rosé, easy and food-friendly.
- Reds: often from Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, warm and soft.
- Whites: crisp and made for the climate, good with seafood.
- Meknes plateau: the premium region, higher and cooler.
Where you can drink it
Because Morocco is a Muslim country, alcohol is restricted: it is served in licensed restaurants, hotels and bars — mostly in the Ville Nouvelle districts like Gueliz and Hivernage in Marrakech — and sold in some supermarkets and dedicated shops, but not in the medina, at street stalls, or in most everyday cafés. Drinking is done discreetly and not in public view. During Ramadan, sales are further restricted, largely to tourists.
Drinking Moroccan wine with food
Moroccan wine is made to sit alongside Moroccan food, and the pale, dry vin gris in particular is a versatile match for the cuisine's spice and sweetness. A visit to the Meknes wine region, or a meal in a licensed Marrakech restaurant, is the easiest way to try it with a tagine or couscous. For how to pair it and the alternatives, see what to drink with Moroccan food.
Frequently asked questions
Does Morocco produce wine?
Yes. Morocco is one of the oldest and largest wine producers in the Arab and Muslim world, with a tradition going back to antiquity and a modern industry expanded under French rule and revived since the 1990s. Most of it is made around Meknes and Benslimane and consumed domestically.
What is vin gris?
Vin gris, or 'grey wine', is Morocco's signature style — a very pale, dry rosé made from red grapes with minimal skin contact. Light and food-friendly, it pairs well with the spice and sweetness of Moroccan cooking and is widely available in licensed venues.
Can you drink alcohol in Morocco?
Yes, but only in licensed places — restaurants, hotels and bars, mostly in the modern Ville Nouvelle districts — and from some supermarkets and specialist shops. It is not sold in the medina, at street stalls or most cafés, and drinking is done discreetly. Restrictions tighten during Ramadan.
Where can I try Moroccan wine?
In licensed restaurants and hotels, especially in districts like Gueliz and Hivernage in Marrakech, and in the Meknes wine region, which is the heart of production. A licensed dinner is the easiest way to try a local vin gris or red alongside a tagine or couscous.