IXSIR Winery is a Lebanese wine producer located just outside Batroun, north Lebanon. The company is known for its high-altitude vineyards, ranging from 1,300 to 5,900 feet. The name is derived from the Arabic word for ”elixir” (Al-Ikseer). IXSIR was founded in 2008 by Etienne Debbane, Hady Kahale, Carlos Ghosn and Gabriel Rivero. IXSIR entered the Lebanese market in 2010 and quickly became the fastest growing wine on the Lebanese and the export markets. The only Middle Eastern country without a desert, Lebanon’s topography is favorable for wine production as it consists of mountains, valleys, and coastal areas that are hospitable to many different grape varieties. IXSIR cultivates its wine grapes in different zones, including Batroun in the North, Jezzine in the South, and the Bekaa Valley in the East. IXSIR managed 297 acres (120 hectares) of productive vineyards, with an additional 75 acres (30 hectares). IXSIR’s winery proudly consumes 75% less energy than other wineries in the world and is built across distinct levels, allowing wine to be made using the method of gravity fermentation. The gravity fermentation method requires very little pumping during the processing of grapes, allowing IXSIR’s painstakingly produced wine to free flow from one level to the next. Having made its way down, IXSIR stores its wines in a cellar that is built 12 meters underground so that it benefits from the natural thermal protection of the soil and reduces the need for mechanical refrigeration. Winemaker: Gabriel Rivero, who previously worked in Bordeaux at Château Sociando-Mallet. Consulting Winemaker: Hubert de Boüard, the co-owner of Château Angélus, a Premier Grand Cru Classé A in Bordeaux.

https://ixsir.com/