Saddam: Mateus for all
First time here? Check out the "site highlights," send in a question, subscribe to the latest posts by RSS, daily email, or free monthly updates by email (right sidebar). Thanks for visiting!
In his 2002 book on the former Iraqi leader, Con Coughlin chronicled Saddam’s rise to power. In the 1970s, Saddam developed a taste for the sweet Mateus rosé–along with American-style ribs, fancy suits, and racetrack gambling.
I remembered this little vignette (indeed, who could forget this wine tragedy?) when I met a representative of Sogrape at a recent tasting. Sogrape, of Portugal, makes Mateus to this day along with a stable of other wines and ports. I couldn’t resist asking him whether the fall of Saddam had meant a reduction in sales to Iraq.
“About two containers” of wine had to go elsewhere the representative told me.
Wow, 2,400 cases is a lot of wine. Was Saddam foisting Mateus on everyone in the palaces until the end?
One of the "seven best wine blogs." 
One of the three best wine blogs