2018 IXSIR 'El Ixsir White' Batroun District Mount Lebanon

Winemaker Notes: Clean and clear color with golden touches.

A wine with elegant, delicate aromas of flowers, white-fleshed fruits; and infused plants and spices, underpinned by a subtle complexity.

On the palate, the purity of a superb Viognier blends with the fullness of Chardonnay to deliver a smooth yet firm wine with a remarkable elegance, minerality and depth.

The name IXSIR derives from “Iksir”, the original Arabic word for “Elixir”, a word common to many languages, defining the purest form of all substances, a secret potion that grants eternal youth and love.

The vision behind IXSIR is to reveal the best terroirs of Lebanon, some forgotten long since. Cultivated with respect to sustainable agriculture, IXSIR’s vineyards are spread in the mountains of Lebanon on clay-calcareous and limestone soil, from Batroun to Jezzine, benefiting from the unique microclimates Lebanon has to offer. IXSIR’s vineyards culminate at an altitude of 1,800m, making them one of the highest in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winemaking occurs in a winery located on the hills of Batroun where 17th century traditional Lebanese house presides over a contemporary winery with sustainability at its core. Recognized several time for its green credentials, the IXSIR winery was named by CNN as one of the greenest building in the world, and won the international Architizer A+ Award as well as the Good Green Design award and the Green Mind MENA Award.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "The 2018 EL White is a 70/30 blend of Viognier and Chardonnay aged for 12 months in French oak (one-third each of new, second and third use barrels). It comes in at 14.2% alcohol. This is sourced from vineyards at 1,800 meters above sea level. Solid in mouthfeel, this just seems substantial. While it opens with a touch of hazelnut, it quickly subsumes the wood nuances. It seems serious but bright, stuffed but graceful—a perfect food wine. So far this has been a very consistent brand, but there's not a long track record; the winery dates back only to 2008. The remaining question I have is how this will hold up over the years and whether it will turn into anything more. With this blend and brand, it may not, but it should hold for the better part of the decade, maybe more. For the moment, it seems like another winner."