Ixsir, El Ixsir Red, Batroun, Lebanon, 2012

This international blend of Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot has been aged in oak for 18 months. It has a plummy nose with hints of spice, while the palate is grippy, elegant and savoury. Hedgerow fruit, cedar, tobacco and a note of graphite recall the wines of Bordeaux yet retain a unique character. There is a balancing acidity that perfectly frames the tannic structure and well defined fruit. Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus consults.