Ixsir – An Elixir From Lebanon

Many people tell me that they have tried Lebanese wine and every time I hear this I know exactly what they are going to tell me they have tried – Chateau Musar. Well, I am going to tell you that Musar, although a nice wine, is not the be-all and end-all of Lebanese wine and, here in Hong Kong we are fortunate to have four other brands (Ksara, Kefraya, Masaya and Ixsir), the latter of which I was fortunate enough to taste over a Lebanese dinner the night before last.

Ixsir is a new Lebanese winery that was founded in 2009 and since its inception has been making some of the most modern and exciting wines in Lebanon. I first came across Ixsir when trying to pair wines with blood pudding and haggis where, hands down, the Ixsir Altitudes Red was the most versatile wine of the wines we tried.

The name Ixsir is derived from the Arabic world for elixir and over the course of dinner we tried their white wine Ixsir Altitudes White 2011, Ixsir Altitudes Red 2009 and the Ixsir Grande Reserve 2009. It was the first time the white had been tried in Hong Kong and we were uncertain of what secrets it held within the bottle but once opened and the heady, fruity aromas began to work their way through the olfactory system, we knew we were onto a winning wine.

It is an eclectic mix of aromatic white grapes, predominantly Muscat; a blend of Sauvignon, Viognier and Semillon – certainly an interesting combination, but most definitely one that works! If you, like me, are a fan of off-dry wines, then this is one to catalogue and without doubt one to put onto that “to buy” list.

The Muscat gives the wine a sweet front palate and some instant (and prolonged I must say) gratification, whilst the Sauvignon and Semillon give a crisp, clean and fresh finish, leaving no sweet cloying aftertaste but one that’s a great balance of fruit and acidity. My tasting notes are not printable here as they are dominated by ‘Saxon expletives’ – suffice to say the wine surprised and delighted.

Lebanon is known for making some great red wines and also for their wines ability to age (last year we tried a flight of 9 decades of Lebanese wine starting at the 1930’s - http://winetimeshk.blogspot.com/2012/09/historic-nine-decades-of-lebanon-tasting.html), and according to local Lebanese food and wine importer Jad Sfeir,  Lebanese wines are best drank 2 to 5 years after vintage and then they stay dormant for about another 15-20 years, when they re-awaken and show off their best again.

The winemakers at Ixsir are some of the best too with Hubert de Bouard, international wine consultant and co-owner and manager at the prestigious Bordeaux winery Chateau Angelus, working alongside experienced Spanish winemaker Gabriel Rivero who himself was one the head winemaker for Bordeaux’s Chateau Sociando-Mallet.

The Altitudes Red 2009 is a fantastically versatile and easy drinking wine but put together with food it’s just sublime. Grilled meat is the order of the day with this wine and lamb shank (basted in Pomegranate Molasses), grilled chicken and beef are the perfect accompaniment to the wine. It does however, work well as a drink-alone wine, that is, one that can be drunk just for drinking pleasure – but we recommend you grill some meat up before sinking your teeth into the wine!

The Ixsir Grande Reserve 2009 was just stunning. Smooth and refined, with aromas of chocolate and fruity sweetness the wine is elegant and bold at the same time. Grab some Merguez sausages off the grill and you have a pairing made in heaven! The wine is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon and is certainly something I will be re-visiting to drink again (and again, and again….).

There are now over 40 wineries in Lebanon, many of whom have young, dynamic wine makers whose passion is to put Lebanese wines back in the spotlight and to show off to people that they can, and do make better wines than their most famous competitor, Musar – whom I feel are becoming left behind in the race to make the modern, racy wines that are coming from wineries such as Ixsir.

Next time you are looking for something different or, when the weather gets back to weekend BBQ’s and boat trips, take a look at Ixsir’s range of wines. I am telling you the white may just be THE ONE for summer 2013 and, if you’ve got that Barbie cranked up and there’s meat on it, then the Ixsir reds are just what you need for that perfect afternoon in the garden or on the beach.

Ixsir wines can be found in Hong Kong through Red Mill Limited. They can be contacted by e-mail at info@redmillhk.com or give them a call on 2805 8100.