As a means to get away from the hustle and bustle of running two major car manufacturers, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, has invested in a winery owned by the Debbane family called El Ixir:
“This is one of my first investments in Lebanon, though I have a long-standing passion for wine,” Ghosn tells ANSAmed. “I believe in the future of this country. Of course there will be highs and lows, but the Lebanese people can make it. […] Yes, the Syria crisis is scary, but Lebanon is used to living in crisis. I have no doubt it will make it this time as well […] You will ask yourselves, what is a carmaking boss doing here […] Well, for those of us dealing with an industry made of metal and big investments, in which governments often intervene, it is sometimes a relief to get away and recharge. And let’s not forget that this land has been producing wine since the Phoenicians. By exporting wine we can also export the lesser known aspects of Lebanon, which are quality and joie de vivre.”
Lebanese Winery
Photo by Tara Darby
From The Telegraph – Lebanese wine: Grapes of wrath