Ixsir Grande Reserve 2009

Have you read The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho? It is the story of a

young shepherd from Andalousia who, after a recurrent dream, headed to

the East for a treasure hunt... And that treasure hunt became, with

the help of an alchemist, a spiritual quest of his own self, of his

dreams and destiny. This story is a little bit that of Gabriel Rivero,

the spanish winemaker who embarked on a journey which, with the help

of Hady Kahale and Naji Seikali, led him to Batroun, where he is

making Ixsir. What a beautiful adventure!

The quest of Arab medieval alchemy was that of a liquid substance

named "Al-Iksir", or "Ixsir", that would allow for the transmutation

of base metals into gold. What a magical name for a wine! I am sure

that when the three friends, Gabriel, Hady and Naji, thought of a name

for their project, they thought of magic, of alchemy, of dreams and

ambition.

It is precisely amibition that characterizes the domaine today, the

will of using the most modern techniques to enhance the natural

quality of the Lebanese terroir, and it works!

The Cabernet-Sauvignon and Syrah blend is the one I prefer, and that

is the reason why Ixsir Grande Reserve 2009 seduces me. Its oaky and

soft spicy notes, associated to the strength of red berries, give it a

strong Mediterranean character that brings me joy. But above all, I

must admit that I like to think of myself as an alchemist when I open

a bottle of Ixsir Grande Reserve... — with IXSIR.