Description
Ixsir is a Lebanese wine established in 2008 with a beautiful winery located just outside Batroun, North of Lebanon. 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 community.
The name is derived from the Arabic word for “elixir” (Al-Ikseer). Jean-Marc Quarin awarded it best grade for a Lebanese wine at Bordeaux’s La Semaine des Primeurs 09. IXSIR means “elixir” in Arabic (Al-Ikseer), and in Greek (IKSIR), which is usually a potion guaranteeing eternal life, as well as a mixture intended to cure one’s ills. Historically, Arabs have given names to wine denoting medicinal attributes, such as: Al Teriaqa, which means “a medicine that cures from worries”, and was also called Ixsir at a certain period of time because, according to them, it was a magical potion that gave longevity.
Elixirs are known to be well-kept secret recipes and essences, and this reinforces IXSIR’s Unique Selling Proposition: “Revealing the secret essence of the best terroirs of Lebanon”
