Castel Winery has begun production in Ethiopia. The winery was established in Oromia Regional State at a cost of 300 million birr. 
The Winery will have the capacity of to produce more than 500,000 bottles of wine in six months according to Fithanegast Aynalem, General Manger of the Winery.
Castel aims to double the foreign exchange being earned by the wine sector in Ethiopia by exporting more than a million bottles of wine to Europe, Eastern and Southern Africa and the United States.
The factory has been equipped with 18 modern machines said Fithanegast. Castel will use four internationally recognized types grape cultivated on its own farm he added.It is to be remembered that The French wine maker harvested its first Chardonnay grapes on the first of November. The winery hopes to begin production around the New Year.
Castel has made an estimated 305 million investment on its vineyard and factory in Zeway. It has employed 120 hectares of land to grow four different grapes to produce white and red wines.
The different types of grape include Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon said Olivier Spillbout, wine maker at Castel.
The French company is the first foreign winery in Ethiopia after the socialist regime.
Castel has installed 28, 430 hectolitre, Inox tankers for the production of its first bottles of wine according to Robel Seido, Sales and Marketing Manager at Castel.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
