Ixsir Altitudes Red 2019

Region and Vineyards

Ixsir sources its grapes from diverse vineyards across Lebanon, from Batroun and Jezzine to the historic Bekaa Valley, with altitudes ranging up to 1,800 metres. These high elevations allow for cooler night temperatures, slowing ripening and enhancing aromatic precision while maintaining freshness. The soils, primarily limestone mixed with clay and sandy loams, provide excellent drainage and mineral character.

Lebanon is among the world's oldest winegrowing regions, with a viticultural heritage stretching back thousands of years. Today, Ixsir honours this legacy while adopting modern practices. The estate has become a pioneer of sustainable viticulture in the country, integrating biodiversity and respect for terroir into its philosophy. This combination of ancient land and forward-thinking viticulture gives its wines both authenticity and international appeal.

Winemaking

Altitudes Red 2019 is crafted from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Caladoc, and Tempranillo. Each variety contributes a distinct personality: Cabernet Sauvignon lends structure and dark fruit, Syrah brings spice and depth, Caladoc adds freshness and colour, while Tempranillo provides elegance and red-fruit charm.

After careful sorting, the wine undergoes fermentation under temperature control to preserve fruit character and achieve balance. Aging is carried out partly in French oak barrels for six months, with 60% new oak and 40% one-wine barrels, imparting subtle complexity without overpowering the fruit. The result is a polished wine, full-bodied yet graceful, with supple tannins and a persistent finish.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Deep ruby with purple reflections, vibrant and youthful.
• Aroma: Generous notes of red fruits, raspberry, and gooseberry, layered with hints of spice and delicate oak.
• Palate: Elegant and smooth, with a rounded body and remarkable softness. Red berry flavours dominate, framed by supple tannins and a lingering, harmonious finish.

Did you know?

The Caladoc grape in this blend is a crossing of Grenache and Malbec, created in France in the 1950s. Though rarely seen internationally, its adaptability to warm climates and ability to produce deeply coloured, fruit-forward wines make it particularly well-suited to Lebanon's Mediterranean terroirs.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Grilled lamb chops with rosemary - the wine's ripe fruit and supple tannins complement the richness of the meat and herbs.
• Duck breast with cherry glaze - the red-fruit profile of the wine mirrors the sweet-tart flavours of the dish.
• Aged Manchego cheese - the wine's softness and subtle oak marry well with the nutty intensity of the cheese.
• Mediterranean vegetable stew - the roundness and fruit freshness balance the earthy, spiced flavours of slow-cooked vegetables.

History of Ixsir

Ixsir was conceived by a group of partners—Étienne Debbané, Hady Kahale, Carlos Ghosn, and Gabriel (Gabi) Rivero—with a simple, ambitious idea: to revive historic mountain vineyards across Lebanon and craft blends that articulate site more than stereotype. Early consultation from Bordeaux luminaries such as Hubert de Boüard and the late Denis Dubourdieu helped shape the estate's stylistic compass toward clarity of fruit, refined tannins and measured oak.

From the outset, Ixsir operated as a multi-terroir project. Grapes are harvested by hand across dispersed, high-elevation plots, transported cool, and vinified by gravity in an energy-efficient, partly subterranean cellar. The winery lies beneath a restored 17th-century residence in Basbina (Batroun), reimagined by Raëd Abillama Architects and recognized by international design awards for its sustainability. The architectural statement mirrors the wines' ethos: modernity anchored in place.

Region and Vineyards

Lebanon's viticultural core combines Mediterranean influence with mountain altitude. The Bekaa Valley, a dry plateau around 1,000 metres, benefits from limestone soils, abundant winter rainfall and pronounced diurnal shifts, naturally preserving acidity. Coastal-mountain districts such as Batroun and Jezzine add wind-cooled mesoclimates and calcareous profiles, broadening the palette of aromas and textures.

Ixsir sources from a north-to-south patchwork of sites: Basbina (Batroun, ~400 m), Jezzine (~950 m), Kab Elias (~1,100 m), Deir el Ahmar (~1,000 m), Niha (~1,200 m) and Ainata (up to about 1,800 m). Predominantly clay-limestone and marl-calcareous soils, older gobelet-trained vines, and staggered harvests across altitudes yield fruit with tension and aromatic lift. The result is a stylistic through-line of freshness—even in warm years—without sacrificing ripeness.

Wine Range of Ixsir

The portfolio is structured in three tiers.

• Altitudes (red, white, rosé) offers early-drinking brightness from multiple sites; the white often champions Obeideh alongside Muscat and Viognier, a nod to local heritage.
• Grande Réserve steps up density and complexity: the red typically blends Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from elevated clay-limestone parcels, while the white marries Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, sometimes with a discreet touch of oak for texture.
• At the summit, EL Ixsir is a rigorous selection with longer élevage. EL Red—commonly Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—sees extended ageing in French oak (around two years, depending on vintage), delivering graphite-lined structure and layered dark fruit. EL White—principally Viognier and Chardonnay—is aged in oak for roughly a year, balancing creamy mid-palate weight with mountain-derived acidity. The estate also distills a traditional Arak from Obeideh, further affirming its commitment to indigenous varieties.

Did you know?

The winery's rooftop is planted as a living garden and vine conservatory—reportedly Lebanon's largest green roof—where more than twenty grape varieties grow side-by-side, a literal tasting map of Ixsir's diversity.