The document provides biographies of three wine makers at Awash Wine - Richard, Henok, and Eyob. Richard is a French wine maker who joined Awash Wine in 2017 and sees potential in developing wines from Ethiopia's unique terroir. Henok is an Ethiopian wine maker who notes Ethiopian wines have a light, easy-to-drink style due to the climate. Eyob is also an Ethiopian wine maker who has been there for 10 years and sees great potential for winemaking in Ethiopia due to its long history and suitable climate and soil. The document then provides background on winemaking techniques and Awash Wine.

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Richard, French, Wine maker from generation to generation,
joined Awash Wine in 2017
“Wine making is the art of transforming grapes vitis vinifera to a
pleasant drink”
It is a duty to put the singularity of the Ethiopian soil and the rarity of
this climate in a bottle of wine. The “terroir” exists on the Upper Awash
River Vineyard highlands, I met. It is a pleasure to develop wines on
these Abyssinia lands and to share my European experience with
Henok and Eyob.”
Henok, Ethiopian, Wine maker at Awash Wine for 10 years
“the soil and climate give Ethiopian wines their unique taste”
Taking history as a witness, the Ethiopian society is well familiar
and cultured with Tela or Tej home brewing and wine making. Wine
making has a long standing history in Ethiopia, particularly in relation
to the Christian church and ruling elites. Ethiopian wines are about
ease to drink and light taste. Light in alcohol content, light in Tanin for
red wine, light in floral aroma for white wines. These characteristics
are well taken with the environment of the country with a combination
of arid and humid climate periods, suitable for soft textured, low
tannin and high minerality. It gives the Ethiopian wine a unique taste.
Eyob, Ethiopian, Wine maker at Awash Wine for 10 years
“I see a great potential for wine making in Ethiopia”
Wine making in Ethiopia has a very long history but what makes it a
great experience for me are two things. The First thing is how Ethiopia
inherited the wine making expertise of different pioneers like the
footprints of the Italians and the Greeks who used to own the two
current wineries in Addis and I am very happy to have inherited part
of this experience. Secondly there is also the rich natural advantage
(terroir) in in different parts of the country which is very suitable for
grapevine, so with this and the long historic winemaking experience
knowledge that was transferred from one generation to the other I see
an even greater potential for wine making in Ethiopia.
AWASH WINE MAKERS PREFACE

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BRIEF HISTORY OF WINE
Going back in time, around 6000 B.C., all the way to China,
evidence suggests that the Ancient Chinese made Alcoholic
drinks from fermented honey and fruit. This process then
began spreading to the Middle East once it reached Georgia
and Iran. They used the same techniques but with grapes
instead.
Grape wine became the the most spread as grapes are rich in
sugar and a natural acid that preserves juice.
By 3000 B.C. these techniques have reached Egypt. Evidence
suggests that the ancient Egyptians may have been the first
wine experts as they were the first to label their wine jugs
with the year and the wine makers name.
Around 200 A.D., the Romans began using wooden barrels to
transport wine.
By 1600 A.D., wine makers were using corks as stoppers,
stronger glass bottles were also made, which allowed wine
to be stored for longer. This made transporting wine easy.
In 1830, the first modern wine bottle was manufactured in
the shape we are all familiar with today.
In 1864, Louis Pasteur proved that yeast is responsible for
the fermentation process. This was an important discovery
before this no one really understood how grape juice became
wine.

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BRIEF HISTORY OF WINE IN ETHIOPIA
As reported by Richard Pankhrust in the History of
Grapes, Vineyards and Wine in Ethiopia, prior to the
Italian Invasion),
Grape and Wine believed to reach in Ethiopia in the 1st
century through the port of Adulis said by the Periplus
of the Erythrea sea. Through time it started to spread
around the Ethiopian plateau on the Wayna Daga.
In the middle of 18th century the vines in Ethiopia
almost extinct due to the spread of the phyloxera
disease and the Christian churches solely depend on
wine made of dry raisin.
In 1935, the replantation started in Addis Ababa, around
Kality by a Greek man called Sarris. It was followed by
Emperor Haile Selassie’s vineyard at Ambo and then in
the center of Addis Ababa by an Italian.
The three-vineyard used to make their wines separately
until Emperor Haile Selassie’s Emperor Haile Selassie’s
overthrown when the wineries were nationalized by the
Derg regime under a new company named Awash wine.
In 2013, this long-standing company has been privatized
and transferred to a joint ownership by a local
entrepreneur, Mulugeta Tesfakiros and a British private
equity fund, 8 Miles, chaired by Sir Bob Geldof,

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Vine tree likely appeared in Caucase 150 mio
year ago when there was only one continent.
From Caucasus, it spreads to Africa and Europe
with the separation of continents.
This is why we have today many vine trees
varieties. The one used for wine making is “Vitis
Vinifera” a type of liana cultivated for its fruits
since the ancient times. Amongst more than
6.000 existing varieties, only 250 are cultivated
for wine making.
Each variety gives specific grapes that will give
specific wine. This is one of the reason there are
so many different wines.
Many of the varieties are perfectly adapted to
Ethiopia such as Chenin Blanc used for GEBETA
white or Grenache Noir used for GEBETA red.
The vine, being a liana, needs to be worked on
to get quality grapes. The vine productive cycle
lasts 6 months from the Vine pruning, which
kicks off the cycle till harvest. The Vine produces
flowers after 3 months that transform into fruit
going gradually to maturity in 3 months.
Pruning, soil and canopy management technics
has been adapted to the Awash Wine vineyard
Terroir, and give the grapes and then GEBETA
wine, its unique characteristics.
Through experience, AWASH WINE makers are
getting gradually the best outcome from the
terroir.
THE VINEYARD

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THE TERROIR
Where and how grapes grow has a
direct impact on the end quality of
the wine.
The “Terroir”, a French word, is the
interaction between the climate, the
soil, the Vine variety and the way
this Vine is managed by the Farmers.
The climate has an effect on the vine
canopy while the soil influences the
roots development which feed the
vines with nutritional elements.
Each of these combinations give
to the terroir its unicity that makes
each wine made out of it different.
The Ethiopian Terroir specificities
comes from the altitude, the volcanic
soil and the level sunshine much
more spread here than in the rest of
the wine world.
The volcanic soil, particularly rich
in Awash Wine vineyards, brings
to the grape and then the wine a
different freshness, drinkability,
purity.
The altitude brings vitality to
GEBETA grapes which makes their
content richer content due to
healthier photosynthesis.
The sunny climate, almost all along
the year, brings better maturity and
is healthier since exposing less the
vines to disease related to humidity
and cold.

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Wine is the result of the natural fermentation of
sugar contained in a fruit into alcohol.
Inside the winery, grapes are crashed and
pressed to get the grape juice. Yeast will be
added to it to start fermentation, a process that
can take up to 3 weeks.
Fermentation is THE critical part of the wine
making. The art of it lies into selecting the good
yeast and micro- organisms that will contribute
to the fermentation final wine quality.
The wine is then stored for stabilization and
ageing a few months. It run through several
pressure filter to remove any particles. Then
comes time to bottle the wine.
The key in bottling wine is to avoid getting air
inside because oxygen turns wine sour. The
colored wine bottles protect the wines from light
which could also affect the taste.
MAKING WINE

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Even though berries differ in color their flesh
is the same and provide a yellow clear juice.
The color of the wine is the given by the skin
berries.
GEBETA red wine is provided by adding
to the process the red grape skins, rich in
anthocyanin, a natural color, that will give
the wine its red color.
Rose wine can be obtained either by
removing the red berry skins at an earlier
stage, hence giving the wine a lighter pink
color, this is the way GEBETA Rose is made,
or by mixing red and white wines.
Different harvest gives different wine which
makes the wine quality special but also
unique in taste and quantity.
Wine is then by nature scarce, its availability
depends on how much has been harvested
during a season.
Far from a light source
Horizontally laid
For wine to age, in a fresh temperature
(8 degree) and slightly humid room,usually
found n basement
MAKING WINE
WINESCARCITY
STORINGWINE

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Usually, white wines like GEBETA are best
to drink chilled or at fridge temperature
as coldness preserves the white wine
aromas and bring freshness feel
Red wines like GEBETA are often best to
drink at ambient temperature. The red
wine contains indeed tannins that hold
the aroma and that are smoother to enjoy
at this temperature
After removing the lip of the capsule
with the corkscrew knife, position the
corkscrew in the center of the cork and
twist clockwise down until you are left
with one loop of a spiral on the screw.
Then hold the bottle and lift up the
corkscrew by using its lever positioned
around the neck.
Before serving, clean the bottle top
with your cloth to remove any deposits.
Position the bottle in the palm of your
hand with the thumb inserted in the
recess of the bottle, lean the bottle away
from you towards the glass and pour a
small amount of wine for the guest to
taste.
If the guest approves continue to pour
filling half the glass for a red wine as the
glass should also be half filled. Twist the
bottle sharply above the glass and lift the
bottle this will minimize dripping on the
table clothing.
SERVING WINE

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Ageing consists of providing slowly and
continuously a tiny amount of oxygen
necessary to increase the stability over
time.
Wine quality is not necessarily related to
wine ageing.
Some wines are meant to be aged while
others would rather be consumed young.
Depending on need,
If you look for a wine with richness, body,
tannin and a complex taste, then go for an
aged wine
Depending on wine, a wine can be aged
from 10 to 50 years from its harvesting
time.
Wine meant for aging will often state on its
label the harvesting year so you can sense
when to drink it.
If you look for lightness, fruity taste,
refreshness, then go for a young wine. A
young wine would have been aged for a
few months and is best drink up to 2 years
after being harvested.
Agingawineornotdependsonthevariety,
the cultivation intensity and the way wine
will be made, which is based on what the
wine maker intends to do with the wine.
AGEING WINE

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Understanding Your Nose
50% of taste comes from the smell, and a large
amount of satisfaction can be gained from smelling a
wine before you drink it. By swirling the wine before
you taste, you release some of the aromas of the
wine. These can be delicate and elegant, but also
pungent and strong.
Understanding Your Palate
The wines sugar, tannin and acid components that
are perhaps the most crucial aspects to consider
when tasting a wine.
Sweetness: It is the sugar level that determines the
sweetness of the wine, the residual sugar left after
fermentation, however alcohol and fruit flavours can
also increase the perception of sweetness, the same
way acidity can mask it.
Acidity: This is where the freshness of the wine comes
from. The longer your mouth waters, the stronger the
acid in the wine.
Tannin: These are the lip-smacking flavours that
occur from the compounds in the skins of red grapes.
They cause dry-mouth and have a bitter flavour
that occurs towards the back of the tongue. This
contributes to the texture and complexity of the wine.
Body:Thisisthegeneralfeelofthewineinthemouth,
the overall impression.
Finish: The finish is the sensation after you swallow
the wine. This is a good indicator for quality as the
longer the desirable impression lasts, the higher in
quality the wine tends to be.
TASTING WINE

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GEBETA white wine is made from Chenin
Blanc variety grapes that grow in the Upper
Awash river in a unique environment made
of volcanic soil, high altitude and tropical
climate.
It gives to GEBETA its unique character. Chenin
Blanc roots draw their resources directly
through the accumulation of rich volcanic
mineralswhichgivesthewinealightrefreshing
taste on subtle floral notes.
GEBETA red wine is made from Grenache Noir
variety grapes that grow in the Upper Awash
river in a unique environment made of volcanic
soil, high altitude and tropical climate.
It gives to GEBETA its unique character.
Grenache Noir roots draw their resources
directly through the accumulation of rich
volcanic minerals which gives the wine
delicious fruity notes and a round and silky
tannic profile.
GEBETA is a value for money Ethiopian wine as
good as most imported wines.
Fresh, Fruity young wine, both wine
connoisseur and not connoisseur will enjoy
it.
Drinking GEBETA is not only the assurance
to have in good company a great wine
moment but it is also a way to support
Ethiopian wine makers in their journey to
make international quality wine.
ENJOYING GEBETA

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FOOD PAIRING
Basic principles of successful food
and wine pairing
Rule one: Acid needs acid
Any food with a high acid level,
something you just want to squeeze
a lemon onto, is a perfect match for a
high acid wine.
Rule Two: Tannins need Fat
Tannin, the astringent component in
redwinethatgiveitstructure,iswhat
can cause that bitter, pucker feeling
in the back of your throat. This needs
fat for balance, fat will soften the
tannins and bring a smoother feel.
Rule Three: Fish Goes with Acid,
not with Tannins
We have all heard the old rule of:
White Wine for White Meat, Red Wine
for Red Meat. The reason for that is
acid and tannins, not color.
RuleFour:Pairwinewithdominant
Flavor, not necessarily the meat
Just because you have pork on your
plate, doesn’t mean that is the flavor
that will stick around. Is that pork
being served in a robust red sauce?
Or is that beef being served with a
creamy lemon sauce? If the sauce
on your plate is the dominant flavor,
pair to that, not the meat.
For GEBETA white
Light easy to digest wine that works
with many associations:
Heavy meal (Kitfo ,trupa and raw
meat with awaze)
Light dish (shiro, cheese,pasta,salad)
Standalone aperitive drinks
For GEBETA red
Meat, beef tongue, milas and seber,
raw meat with awaze, Kitfo

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AWASH WINE
Our vision:Driving the Ethiopian wine market growth through excellence and
Innovation
CONSUMERS’ SMILE, EVERY TIME, TODAY , TOMORROW
Leading wine company in Ethiopia
Market leader, 85% volume share
Strong local brands which are intimately connected to Ethiopia’s heritage
• The company has 3 sites:
• 2 wineries in Lideta and Mekanisa
• 1 Farm at Merti Jeju, 517 ha
Workforce
• 622 employees 70% below 45 years old (50% in 2013). 500 seasonal
workers at the farm on equivalent full time basis.
• 70 new hiring since 2016 all younger than 30 years old, BA level
2016/2017 key figures
• Turnover: ETB 556 million (ETB 265 million in 2013).
• 25% annual volume growth.
• 10 million litres sold (6 million litres in 2013).
• Tax remittance: ETB 178 million (VAT, Excise Tax, Corporate Tax).
• ETB 270 million expansion investment

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