In a country and a region known for its political social and economic volatility, developing
a world class boutique winery isn't the most obvious route to success.
Lebanese like to go into quick investment; restaurants, you know, hotels - things that
yeild very quickly results and dividends.
And this is exactly the opposite.
But for partners Etienne Debbane and Nabil Chaya developing Ixsir is definitely a labor
of love.
I was looking desperately to see how I could make it in Lebanon.
Of course wine is- you need a lot of land, so I started looking on the big land owners,
trying to interest them into my project to make wine and be part of the big adventure.
But it was useless.
The day I went to the bank to ask for money to finance my project, my banker told me:
"I like your concept, your know. There is another man looking to do the same.
Why don't you meet him?"
So I come to the bank one day and they tell me please meet Carlos Olson and tell him your
story.
I'm a banker.
I'm not a wine maker first and foremost.
I had a professional relationship with him.
He often looked at various investment possibilities in Lebanon.
He wanted to do something more where he would employ people here and something that Lebanon
can export, while at the same time creating value within within Lebanon.
A few years later I think Mr. Debbane came to see the CEO of our bank with an investment
proposal for wine and, sure enough, one thing led to another and I think the first time
Mr. Olson and Mr. Debbane sat together there was obviously something there.
A great wine maker an international investor.
And Ixsir started.
We're not the only winery.
We're not the first winery in the region.
There are some I think–
After us; actually we were the second or third.
Now there are about 10 wineries around.
Which is natural because historically this is where grapes were grown and wine was made
in the old times.
The proximity of the old port of Byblos, where both the Cedars of Lebanon were being transported
to Egypt as well as wine back then, very nearby the sea so it was a natural place to produce wine.
Tell me a little bit about the property of the winery itself.
So we bought this piece of land with this old house.
When we bought it actually there was a shepherd with about 200 muttons living in the house.
And we thought it was fun.
You know, one day we'll get him out and get the house back and rebuild it.
But actually we were squatted for twenty eight years.
That's a pretty big delay isn't it?
Something like 20 lawsuits.
Finally, in 2007, we were lucky enough to get rid of him, get him out of the house by
the force of the weapons and got the house back.
But it was pretty tough wasn't it?
I mean you even got shot just to get this property.
Yes, twice they shot at us.
Didn't that make you rethink the proposition?
Not really because it was part of the war, you know?
Because you weren't safe anywhere.
And these people actually one day they would invite us for coffee and the next day they
would shoot at us.
This is what Lebanon was during the time of the war because everybody has natural hospitality
but when you hit their interest you know they might bite you.
This is what happened actually.
Two days before we were having coffee with them and two days later they shot at us.