Bordeaux, France - Pomerol
Pomerol Wine Region Summary
Though it doesn’t conform to many people’s mental image of Bordeaux – charming, humble outbuildings, rather than fairytale chateaux with elegant turrets and terraces – Pomerol has become one of the most alluring appellations in recent decades and of great interest to collectors and investors.
This small, but perfectly formed pocket (813 hectares under vine) of clay, gravel and sandy soils may only have begun producing wine in earnest in the 1800s, yet in the years since, it has more than made up for lost time in sheer quality and uniqueness.
Its special microclimate and unusual subsoil with its iron oxide deposits makes for wines that are greatly varied. In the higher ridges there are rich clay deposits, giving way to sandier soils in the lower slopes, producing wines. Pomerol blends generally give Merlot a leading role, giving them lightness of aroma and smooth supple textures, often paired with the Cabernet Franc that lends a gloriously rich and deep colour.
Somewhat of an anomaly in Bordeaux, there is no official classification here. Previously known only to locals and a limited market in Switzerland and Belgium, Pomerol’s beautiful wines were catapulted into the limelight in 1982 by the influential critic and tastemaker Robert Parker Jr. Prices for the produce of properties like Petrus, Lafleur and Le Pin skyrocketed in the years since, in a reflection of the gargantuan demand that exists for wines of bijou estates whose production rarely exceeds 1,000 cases in a vintage.
