{"title":"Wines of Batroun","description":"\u003cp\u003eBatroun is primarily a coastal town that has eluded the devastating urban logic of Lebanon, so well has its architecture and heritage been preserved. At 55 km north of Beirut, it has managed to preserve the memory of its past: Saint Stephen's Cathedral, a jewel dating from the late 19th century, adjacent to the old fishing port, where tradition requires mass to be said in the sea once a year; the small church of Our Lady of the Sea, which overlooks the Mediterranean, and from which you can see the ancient \"Phoenician Wall\", the remains of a stone quarry that the Phoenicians erected as a barrier to protect the city against the waves in stormy weather; or the old cobblestone souk, with its vaulted sandstone houses, from which you can catch a glimpse of an ancient mosque.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn these sites charged with history and stories, life unfolds with ease and joy. The souk is home to vegetable stalls and craftsmen's shops, as well as restaurants and nightclubs. The seafront is a succession of pebbled beaches, dotted with pubs where you can enjoy a drink with your feet in the water while admiring the sunset; but also, an open space that hosts concerts or photo exhibitions amidst its fuchsia, orange and yellow bougainvillea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBatroun is historically famous for its lemonade: squeeze your lemons, let the juice rest in the zests overnight; the next day, remove the zests, add sugar water and a glassful of orange blossom water. Otherwise, there's still a debate between the “conservatives”, who leave it at that, and the “liberals”, who add mint, basil or strawberry... But let's not dwell on these lemony debates!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the city, the Batroun region is made up of 68 villages, lined up in a narrow strip of land running from the sea to the hills, including Rachana, home of the Basbous family of sculptors, which has been transformed into an open-air gallery, with works of art occupying every corner; Douma, with its 240 heritage houses; or Tannourine, higher up, 1800 meters above sea level, home to Lebanon's largest cedar forest and magnificent natural waterfalls (to get there, follow the Roman aqueduct).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis itinerary, with its many B\u0026amp;Bs and guesthouses set in renovated traditional houses, is complemented by the \"Route of Wines\", as on the road you can visit a number of wineries offering wine tastings and, for some, food. It has to be said that Batroun's winemaking tradition goes back a long way. Just like everywhere else in Lebanon. Pieces of pottery and amphorae used to transport wine have been found from the Phoenician period. During the Greco-Roman period, local currency was stamped with wine symbols: the figure of Dionysus, the amphora or the grape. Alexander the Great's Greeks even called the region \"Botrys\", meaning \"cluster of grapes\", in reference to the vines that dominated agriculture at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese traces tell of the ancient presence of wine in a terroir ideal for growing vines, since it benefits from almost 300 days of sunshine a year, as well as cool breezes from the Mediterranean. Convenient and at the same time rare! The soil is mainly composed of ferric clays interspersed with limestone slabs - a specificity found in less than 3% of the world's winegrowing regions. Long neglected, viticulture in the region experienced a renaissance in the late 90s and early 2000s, initiated during a period when the reconstruction of Lebanon was under way. Although this reconstruction did not achieve much on a national level, it did bear fruit in Batroun, whose hillsides are now covered with terraced vineyards.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"ixsir-grande-reserve-rose-2022","title":"Ixsir Grande Réserve Rosé 2022","description":"\u003ch4\u003eIxsir, one of Lebanon's leading wineries, indulges in this modern and elegant premium rosé.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e« \u003cem\u003eSalade de fruits jolie, jolie, jolie\u003c\/em\u003e », goes Bourvil's famous song. This line is perfectly suited to this Grande Réserve 2022, the high-end rosé from Ixsir, the Lebanese winery in which former Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has invested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose is superbly floral, with scents of mimosa that taunt the senses. But it's on the palate that its fruit bouquet explodes, with flavors of quince and white peach, ending with a delightful, fresh finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElegance has always been at the heart of Ixsir. Founded in 2008, this young winery, which takes its name from the Arabic word elixir (a rejuvenating serum), upholds the diversity of Lebanese terroirs: the team operates six separate vineyards located between 950 and 1,800 meters above sea level in different regions of the country. Some face the sea, as in Batroun in northern Lebanon, where the Ixsir winery is located. Others are perched higher up in the Lebanese mountains, benefiting from a more continental climate. At harvest time, the grapes are transported in refrigerated trucks. Cold-stored, they are pressed the day after their arrival at the winery. Each grape variety and plot are vinified separately, and blended only after fermentation. The aim of the owners, especially oenologist Gabriel Rivero, a veteran of Sociando-Mallet, an estate in Bordeaux's Haut-Médoc region, is to make great blended wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith an annual production of over 500,000 bottles, Ixsir has already imposed itself on Lebanese tables, but its wines are also increasingly sought-after internationally. Testimony to this are the numerous awards received abroad, including « Best Rosé of the World » from Best World Wine (BWW) for the 2018 vintage of this prestigious cuvée.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sodimo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46935351394643,"sku":"1889","price":24.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/files\/Ixsir.png?v=1712220469"},{"product_id":"ixsir-el-rouge-2017","title":"Ixsir El Red 2017","description":"\u003ch4\u003eWith such fruity aromas, it's hard to resist this exceptional fine wine with well-balanced tannins.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGuaranteed pleasure! With its savory touch and unspeakable spicy notes, El (the Semitic word for God) cannot be missed. Its bouquet is intense and deep. We love its rich fruits on the palate, where flavors of ripe red fruits, cocoa and spices balance powerful, well-structured tannins, with plenty of oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIxsir was launched in Lebanon in 2008 when a group of friends, including French-Lebanese tycoon Carlos Ghosn, invested in a winery that would shake up the local wine scene. Located in the Batroun region in the north of the country, the building has won several awards, including Green Good design in 2011. But it's the winemaking strategy that has won this challenger the hearts of the Lebanese and foreign publics alike (40% of its sales are abroad): the team has chosen vineyard plots from all over the country, so that its wines can express all the rich diversity and complexity of the Lebanese terroir.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe success of this El Red, a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, uses this advantage to impress connoisseurs and amateurs alike, the most patient of whom will let it age in cellar or decant it for immediate pleasure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sodimo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46935359652179,"sku":"1605","price":58.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/files\/ElRouge.png?v=1691422113"},{"product_id":"ixsir-altitudes-rose-2022","title":"Ixsir Altitudes Rosé 2022","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThe Ixsir Altitudes Rosé is a blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Caladoc made in a Provençal style.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is what we can call a wine rosé \"à la Provence\". Its marble pink robe with peony reflections reveal an intense bouquet of gooseberry and vine leaves. Its suave, fruity, crispy and delicate palate will be a “coup de folie” for anyone passionate about authentic rosé wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIxsir was launched in Lebanon in 2008 when a group of friends, including French-Lebanese tycoon Carlos Ghosn, invested in a winery that would shake up the local wine scene. Located in the Batroun region in the north of the country, the building has won several awards, including Green Good design in 2011. But it's the winemaking strategy that has won this challenger the hearts of the Lebanese and foreign publics alike (40% of its sales are abroad): the team has chosen vineyard plots from all over the country, so that its wines can express all the rich diversity and complexity of the Lebanese terroir.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sodimo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47460865114451,"sku":"1865","price":16.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/files\/Altitudes_Ixsir_Rose.png?v=1737445239"},{"product_id":"ixsir-altitudes-rouge-2021","title":"Ixsir Altitudes Red 2021","description":"\u003ch4\u003eSoft, mellow, velvety texture of a Rhône Valley wine, with similar complex herbal nuances and Syrah's distinctive perfume.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWarmth, sharpness, maturity and character are the dominant traits of this wine. Imprinted with mature fruits, its delicate and complex bouquet balances an oaked aroma with red and black fruits. Notes of blackberry and blackcurrant blended with a fine ‘empyreumatic’ touch give the wine a soft and complex character. Its final silky taste makes it a pleasant and accessible wine, to share in a relaxed environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIxsir was launched in Lebanon in 2008 when a group of friends, including French-Lebanese tycoon Carlos Ghosn, invested in a winery that would shake up the local wine scene. Located in the Batroun region in the north of the country, the building has won several awards, including Green Good design in 2011. But it's the winemaking strategy that has won this challenger the hearts of the Lebanese and foreign publics alike (40% of its sales are abroad): the team has chosen vineyard plots from all over the country, so that its wines can express all the rich diversity and complexity of the Lebanese terroir.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sodimo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52430620721491,"sku":"2176","price":18.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/files\/Altitudes_Ixsir_Red.png?v=1737445239"},{"product_id":"ixsir-altitudes-blanc-2024","title":"Ixsir Altitudes White 2024","description":"\u003ch4\u003eThis blend of a Lebanese indigenous grape and two noble southern varieties presents an elegant swirl of golden glittering robes.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eViognier is the least of its components by a small margin, at 30%, alongside Muscat and the indigenous Obeidy (35% each), but it's the Viognier that puts its stamp on the nose most clearly in aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, cream, citrus and a pinch of ginger. The palate is an attractive combination of good structure, generous, rounded texture, peachy fruit and a freshening squeeze of grapefruit-peel acidity and bitterness. Ixsir's winemaker and co-founder, Gabriel Rivero, says that the structure and complexity come from the Obeidy. The freshness comes, very obviously, from the altitude of the vineyards which, at 1,800 meters, are said to be the highest in the northern hemisphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIxsir was launched in Lebanon in 2008 when a group of friends, including French-Lebanese tycoon Carlos Ghosn, invested in a winery that would shake up the local wine scene. Located in the Batroun region in the north of the country, the building has won several awards, including Green Good design in 2011. But it's the winemaking strategy that has won this challenger the hearts of the Lebanese and foreign publics alike (40% of its sales are abroad): the team has chosen vineyard plots from all over the country, so that its wines can express all the rich diversity and complexity of the Lebanese terroir.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sodimo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52430686912851,"sku":"2299","price":18.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/files\/Altitudes_Ixsir_White.png?v=1737445239"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/4847\/4451\/collections\/BatrounWines2_16deb626-9d50-4c94-8b53-0c6e09b6d572.jpg?v=1695814752","url":"https:\/\/www.altcellars.at\/en\/collections\/vins-batroun.oembed","provider":"ALTCELLARS","version":"1.0","type":"link"}