About Ixsir

OUR VINEYARDS

Batroun – Basbina

Coordinates:  34°14’13. 0” N 35° 42’26. 8” E

Altitude: 400m

Soil:  Clay, Sand, Limestone (limestone white crack)

Grape Variety: Syrah, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot

Basbina is located 7km from the city of Batroun and 60 km from Beirut. The local vineyard is the jewel of the estate embraced by the Seigniorial House and Winery. Close by is the ancient, now abandoned, village of Basbina, currently being redeveloped by IXSIR. Basbina has evidence of an ancient involvement in viticulture that dates back to the dawn of civilization.

During the Byzantine Era, the coastal city of Batroun was known as Botrus (pronounced bot’-ris), which is Greek for grape.  The Port of Botrus, which is still in existence today, was the grape and wine export hub of the Mediterranean during the Phoenician Era and beyond. Botrus was among the first to have produced its own currency. One of the earliest coins had the impression of a grape cluster on one of its sides, symbolizing the importance of this produce to the local economy and regional trade.

Ainata:

Coordinates:  34°.10’59.4” N 36°.05’.15 .2” E

Altitude: 1,800m

Soil: Shell Limestone with Clay

Grape variety: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Caladoc

Located 96km from the Winery in Basbina, Ainata is the highest vineyard in Lebanon. Nestled in the Shadows of Lebanon’s highest peak, the vines enjoy a continental climate with snow cover throughout the winter. Ainata’s viticultural heritage is unrecorded, but dates back centuries with IXSIR proudly reinvigorating the area with its current nine-hectare cultivation.

Bechouat:

Coordinates: 34°.09’.00 .8” N 36°.08’.06. 3” E

Altitude: 1,100m

Soil: Ferralitic Gravelly Clay Lime

Grape Variety: Arinarnoa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo

The Deir El Ahmar vineyard, which is located 112 km from the Winery in Basbina, is nurtured on rich red clay soil. The town’s winemaking history goes back to the Roman Era and possibly even before, where during the third century A.D the Roman emperor Caracalla, built a temple for Jupiter in the vicinity of the village. The Deir El Ahmar name translates to ‘Red Monastery’, believed to have been built by early Christian monks using the clay from the region atop the ruins of a Roman Temple.

Niha:

Coordinates:  33°.52’.57.1” N 35°.58’.45 .3” E

Altitude: 1,200m

Soil: Marl-Calcareous

Grape Variety: Viognier

Located 156km from the winery in Basbina, the Vineyard in Niha lays on the hillside of one of the Bekaa valley’s oldest villages. Known for its Roman temples that date back to the 1st century A.D, Niha is renowned for its rich calcareous soil, which makes it an exemplary place to cultivate Syrah. The viticultural heritage of Niha is unrecorded; however, archaeological evidence suggests the village’s involvement in winemaking predates the Roman presence in the region.

Halwa:

Coordinates:  33° 36’ 29. 0” N 36°.00’.04.8” E

Altitude: 1,400m

Soil: Clay, Limestone

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carigan, Cinsault, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Muscat and Merlot.

The Western Bekaa area is one of Lebanon’s loveliest. Among this agricultural wealth and at 1,400 meters above sea level lies the town of Halwa, on Mount Lebanon’s eastern flank. Its winter laden with powdery white snow and its blissfully cool summer nights combine to produce a diversity of grapes. IXSIR’s vineyards in Halwa spread over 20 hectares of land.

Jezzine:

Coordinates: 33° 33’.07.8” N 35° 35’ 32.0” E

Altitude: 950m

Soil: Calcareous Clay, Limestone Rock Crack

Grape Variety: Syrah

Located 131km from the winery in Basbina, the Jezzine vineyard stands on the spectacular Azzibe estate. Seven hectares of terraces erected almost a century ago, to make best use of the limited space, defy the slope and maximize yield. The Southern town of Jezzine prides itself on its rich and eventful history, however, it is currently known worldwide for its cutlery industry, where for the past 250 years, the Haddad and other families of the region have been crafting unique pieces of cutting art that have become synonymous with Jezzine.