Vineyards can be found all over the region, and all of them grow grapes and other fruits to make their wines. But it’s not the only way to make wine.
An Ethiopian recipe dating back thousands of years for a wine called “tej” uses just three ingredients — water, yeast and honey. One of the few places in the U.S. making tej also operates the only tasting room in the country, and it’s just inside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
Gize Negussie operates Negus Winery with his wife. Ironically, it’s located on Vine Street just off Van Dorn Street in Alexandria.
“Ethiopian honey wine, or tej fermented beverage, is made from honey, and dates back more than 3,000 years, the time of Queen of Sheba,” Negussie said. “And it’s part of Ethiopian meals, gatherings and celebrations.”
It’s believed the Queen of Sheba brought tej back from a visit to King Solomon in Israel — yes, the one from the Bible.
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