CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries?

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CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 6:56:12 AM

Serge Birbrair

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Where do you get wine in Dubai?

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 7:35:35 AM

Colonel Lawrence

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From: Arabia
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There are just two authorised distributors in Dubai, each with a number of with windowless warehouse outlets, normally attached to small malls.
They are called MMI and A&E (Mercantile Marine and African & Eastern).
They are conglomerates with a number of other interests.
To buy you must be registered with the government, not be a Muslim and be resident (normally this also means in gainful employment).
You have a monthly allowance, set in relation to your monthly income.
The allowance is likely to be 500, 1000 or 1500 Dirham per month.
3.67 Dirham = $1
There is a 30% tax on top of the allowance.

Those who don't have an "alcohol(ics)" license have been known to buy from interestingly named outlets such as "The Hole In The wall" in other Emirates. Prices are cheaper and there is no limit, but transporting liquor across Emirate boundaries is not legal, in fact to get the alcohol to Dubai the direct route takes you through Sharjah which is totally dry (they receive financial aid from Saudi Arabia).

The only other legal way to drink alcohol is from Hotels; interestingly many establishments are build adjacent to hotels and enjoy their rights (e.g. Planet Hollywood, Traders Vic's, etc.).
Anomolies happen - right now our very famous Hard Rock Cafe (a landmark) is dry!

The local owner of the land sold the land and wanted them off it, so refused to assist with the renewal of their license.
Dubai is a global player, an International hub, has great local people, and ocassionally is very stupid.

Regards,
L.

PS Wine generally is outlet specific (unlike beer which may be sold Through both outlets.
It is very limited and at the top end unbelievably expensive.
We have reasonable Aussie, Chilean, SA, wines etc.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 7:40:44 AM

Serge Birbrair

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Interesting, at least this is not 100% prohibitions as I suspected.

Register with Government to drink wine???

Even USSR rulers never thought of that!

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 8:01:06 AM

Colonel Lawrence

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I didn't read the question well enough.
I answered from my point of veiw - Dubai.
You probably got a hint of the others though.
Saudi - none, don't get beheaded (you wouldn't normally for alcohol, but ..............).
Expats make their own on compounds.
Best to know embassy people - they're awash with it.
Kuwait dry.
Bahrain is where the Saudis go to drink on a Wednesday (it's their Friday), Don't get on the causeway when drunk Saudis go home.
Oman, Egypt pretty relaxed.
Lebanon - they make the stuff (buy Chateaux Keyfraya I know the part owner, a real gentleman).
Last point - you can bring me 4 bottles of wine whenever you come to Dubai, easiest is to buy in Duty Free when you land - better selection than we get in country. I always buy 4xChampagne (it's the best bargain).
Rgds,
L.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 8:05:19 AM

Serge Birbrair

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so, there are two Moslem countries which produce wine:
Turkey and Lebanon.

Turks are mostly Sunnies and Lebanese are mostly Shiites.
Do you have first hand knowledge about SE Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia?

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 8:17:45 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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My area of the world Serge. There is plenty of wine in Malaysia and Indonesia. They are actually secular states where Islam is either the national religion (as in Malaysia's case), or one of the four major religions (as in Indonesia). In fact, there are plenty of really well-to-do wine drinkers in Jakarta who are crazy over Burgundy, so that there a couple of absolutely crazy Burg groups there. "Crazy" meaning weekends filled with DRC, Henri Jayer, Vogue, Leflaive, Leroy, Rosseau etc.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 8:22:02 AM

Serge Birbrair

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I am not asking about Singapore, as I have first hand experience. I am glad Malaysia and Indonesia are wine friendly, I didn't think they would be for some reason, especially Malaysia.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 8:32:36 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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Sourcing for good wines in those two countries takes a bit of local knowledge, but they are certainly available.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Moslem countries? - 7/14/2008 9:29:47 AM

Colonel Lawrence

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http://www.vinography.com/archives/2005/05/all_about_egyptian_wine.html

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 9:39:14 AM

Serge Birbrair

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Glad you brought Egypt, as I now have to add two more Muslim AND wine producing countries to the list:
Morocco and Algiers. Moroccan wasn't bad in Paris at Moroccan restaurant. Algierian I had in Russia were rather bad.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 8:11:02 PM

rloomis

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I traveled to Egypt in 2006 and there was alcohol served at all the major international hotels, but it was very expensive. I was very surprised to discover there were even Egyptian made wines and I made sure to sample a bottle while I was there. I'm from Southern California and no stranger to hot weather, but something about the kind of inclement African heat I was experiencing didn't have me feeling much like drinking alcohol. Maybe it was a combination of the weather in addition to the food, minarets towering over the skyline, shisha, and the very exceptional manner in which hot tea was served with sprigs of fresh mint: but it was that hot tea that was strangely the most refreshing thing to drink in the circumstances. Not much to say about the local cuisine except by the 3rd week of my stay, I found myself frequenting a nearby air conditioned McDonalds. I must say, however, the Egyptian limes were the best I ever tasted.

http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?iUserOverride=26738&Table=Notes&Country=Egypt

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 8:39:46 PM

zippz

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here's a kicker...
the Kingdom of Morocco's motto: "Allāh, al Waţan, al Malik" ("God, Nation, King")

"...Morocco's King and Commander of the Faithful, His Majesty Mohammed VI. He owns a chain of large supermarkets like this one. They sell alcohol -- albeit in a separate part of the store with separate tills and a separate entrance. I ask the wine producer Mehdi Bouchaara if Morocco isn't a bit hypocritical when it comes to wine. "Hypocrisy? No," he says. "This is tolerance.""

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/02/19/morrocan_wine/

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 9:24:53 PM

Serge Birbrair

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rloomis, what about beer? Is it popular in Egypt?

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 9:49:14 PM

Serge Birbrair

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I did some research and here is what I found:
http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=5408

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/14/2008 11:51:39 PM

cgrimes

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quote:

ORIGINAL: rloomis

I traveled to Egypt in 2006 and there was alcohol served at all the major international hotels, but it was very expensive. I was very surprised to discover there were even Egyptian made wines and I made sure to sample a bottle while I was there. I'm from Southern California and no stranger to hot weather, but something about the kind of inclement African heat I was experiencing didn't have me feeling much like drinking alcohol. Maybe it was a combination of the weather in addition to the food, minarets towering over the skyline, shisha, and the very exceptional manner in which hot tea was served with sprigs of fresh mint: but it was that hot tea that was strangely the most refreshing thing to drink in the circumstances. Not much to say about the local cuisine except by the 3rd week of my stay, I found myself frequenting a nearby air conditioned McDonalds. I must say, however, the Egyptian limes were the best I ever tasted.

http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?iUserOverride=26738&Table=Notes&Country=Egypt

Some of the earliest wines came from Egypt...mostly mixed with pine tar, seawater, or lead...and consumed by the Ancient Greeks. Don't know of any modern vineyards.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/15/2008 8:34:38 AM

NiklasW

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Too bad they don't make any wine in Iran anymore, as they have a city named Shiraz. Wouldn't it be great to have a shiraz from Shiraz??

They do grow lots of grapes though, but for direct consumption rather than fermentation.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/15/2008 9:15:42 AM

rloomis

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From: San Diego, CA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Serge Birbrair

rloomis, what about beer? Is it popular in Egypt?

Not that I saw. The hotels I visited usually just had a couple choices of beer from the bottle: one being a very light Egyptian brewed pale lager ¨Stella¨ and the other choice usually some insipid international label like Carlsberg or Heineken (at a much higher price). There were no bars or pubs outside of the major hotels in the area of Cairo where I was staying and the café on the streets mostly served a turkish style coffee or tea, with tea being by far the most popular. A lemon squash like drink made from fresh squeezed lemon was also a popular drink. I wish I could find my pictures from the trip, I´ll post a few if I can find where I put that CD.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/15/2008 9:21:24 AM

Serge Birbrair

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Randall, when I misplace something, I know my better half knows the answer (which insidentally was #2 reason I got married )
Yeah, post some cool pics, I never been to Egypt.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/15/2008 9:33:00 AM

rloomis

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quote:

ORIGINAL: cgrimes

Some of the earliest wines came from Egypt...mostly mixed with pine tar, seawater, or lead...and consumed by the Ancient Greeks. Don't know of any modern vineyards.

I wonder how much of that came from intentional recipe dictated by taste, unscrupulous merchants and passive aggressive resistance to Hellenization by local winemakers, or just due to the manner of ancient wine´s transport by sea in amphora vessels with marginal seals made from things like lead and pitch.

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RE: CL, can you buy wine / alcohol in Muslim countries? - 7/15/2008 9:36:08 AM

rloomis

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Serge Birbrair

Randall, when I misplace something, I know my better half knows the answer (which insidentally was #2 reason I got married )
Yeah, post some cool pics, I never been to Egypt.

My first act was to look where I thought it should be, my second was to yell across the house, "Hey baby, do know where the CD with my Egypt pictues are???¨
To which she replies with her usual helpful advice, ¨Where you last left it¨.
Yet, I still keep asking her where I leave things....

Off to catch a plane to Chicago for a few days. Will try to resume the search upon my return!

< Message edited by rloomis -- 7/15/2008 9:37:55 AM >

(in reply to Serge Birbrair)

Post #: 20