Ixsir El Ixsir 2019

Region and Vineyards

Ixsir is based in Batroun, while its wines draw on vineyards planted across Lebanon's high mountain landscapes. El Ixsir is the estate's flagship red, shaped by elevated terroirs whose cooler conditions help preserve acidity and aromatic definition as the grapes ripen under abundant Mediterranean light. This interplay gives the wine its characteristic balance: generous fruit and savory depth held in focus by freshness.

The vineyards associated with the 2019 wine are rooted in ferric clay and limestone, soils that favor structure rather than simple opulence. Across Ixsir's wider high-altitude network, sites include Ainata at 1,800 metres, Yamoune at 1,375 metres and Hadath Baalbek at 1,180 metres. Such elevations are central to the producer's identity, helping its wines unite Lebanese warmth with clarity, fine tension and an energetic profile.

Winemaking

The 2019 El Ixsir brings together Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Syrah supplies spice, dark fruit and aromatic lift; Cabernet Sauvignon adds cassis, structure and persistence; Merlot rounds the blend with plum-toned flesh and a smoother mid-palate. The varieties are assembled to create depth without losing the freshness that defines Ixsir's mountain-grown style.

Following vinification, the wine matured for 24 months in French oak barrels, a prolonged élevage that builds texture and integrates its ripe tannins. Oak forms part of the wine's architecture, bringing cedar, vanilla, toast and savory spice around a concentrated core of black and red fruit. The finished wine has 14.5% alcohol, yet bright acidity and mentholated lift keep the palate poised. The result is dense, polished and built to evolve, with sufficient suppleness for enjoyment after decanting.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Deep ruby with garnet reflections and the first subtle signs of evolution at the rim.
• Aroma: Concentrated blackcurrant, blackberry, ripe plum and cherry emerge alongside licorice, dried herbs and garrigue. Notes of menthol, cedar, tobacco, vanilla and savory spice add complexity.
• Palate: Dense and carefully structured, with mature dark fruit, velvety tannins and well-integrated oak. Juicy acidity provides energy and definition, carrying cassis, plum, mild spice and tobacco into a long, fresh finish.

Did You Know?

Ixsir's winery is located in Batroun, but the estate's vineyard network reaches into Lebanon's dramatic mountain landscapes. Some sites rise to 1,800 metres above sea level, making elevation a defining element of the producer's identity and the freshness of its wines.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Slow-braised lamb shoulder: The wine's dark fruit, firm structure and savory spice complement the lamb's richness, while its acidity refreshes the palate.
• Chargrilled rib-eye steak: Ripe tannins and concentrated cassis stand up to deeply flavored beef, with cedar and tobacco echoing the smoky crust.
• Duck breast with plum sauce: The Merlot-led suppleness and ripe plum character harmonize with the sauce, while the wine's freshness balances the duck.
• Mushroom and lentil moussaka: Earthy mushrooms, warm spices and creamy layers draw out the wine's garrigue, tobacco and velvety texture.

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.