Pomerol, untoldriches
Mention Pomerol anywhere in the world, and wine lovers’ eyes will light up. There’s a good reason for that: Pomerol is the proud owner of a frankly exceptional terroir. With just a few thousand cases produced each year, these are among the most coveted wines in the world. A true, undisputed legend of the wine world.
What is the Pomerol wine region?
Key points to remember
- 813 hectares and 138 winegrowers, many of whom have just a few plots of vines – tended with utmost love and affection, of course.
- The vines are planted on the legendary Pomerol plateau, which shelves down towards the River Isle, creating one of the most pleasant winemaking climates in Aquitaine. Pomerol’s borders are clearly delimited: the Barbanne stream to the north, Saint-Emilion to the east, and Libourne to the southwest.
- This is a truly exceptional terroir for many reasons. Here are just a few of them: Pomerol is one of the smallest appellations in Bordeaux (accounting for just 0.7% of the total), its subsoils are loaded with iron oxide (we’ll come back to that later) and Merlot boasts inimitable opulence here.
Why do people love Pomerol and its wines ?
- Because with its modest proportions and superior quality, this is an appellation packed with vinous treasures.
- Because many of the estates are modestly-sized.
- Because it embodies the perfect combination of ancestral know-how and modern techniques.
- Because the winegrowers of Pomerol are masters of their craft, tailoring their work to the needs of each and every vine.
- Because when paired with meats, game and fresh cheeses, the wines of Pomerol are simply irresistible.
- Because the Maison des Vins deftly combines traditional know-how and contemporary chic, creating the perfect setting for an unforgettable tasting, looking out over an ocean of vines.
What is the Pomerol
style?
Pomerol is all about finesse, generous flavors and intense aromas. But no two Pomerols are truly alike: each winemaker adds their own personal touch.
With such a unique personality, Pomerol is always unmistakably Pomerol.
Velvety smooth, packing an irresistible combination of depth, elegance and length of flavor, the epitome of great Bordeaux. The bouquet blends hints of truffle with violet petals and red berries. 12 to 18 months of aging in oak barrels helps to further accentuate the wines’ incredible aromatic complexity. These are the kind of wines that appeal to seasoned experts and newcomers alike.
It takes some serious cellaring – between five and ten years, ideally – for the wines of Pomerol to reveal their full, marvelous potential.
Which kind of wines can be found in Pomerol?
Red wines, and only red wines.
As you may have guessed by now, merlot is the star variety around here, occupying 80% of the vineyards with its powerful character and sumptuous texture. It is often paired with elegant cabernet franc (15% of the area under vine), or, less frequently, with well-structured cabernet sauvignon (5% of plots).
See also: Grape varieties
Fun facts
Three fun facts you need to know about Pomerol
Because it’s not just in the glass that Pomerol turns on the charm…
1.
Unlike neighboring Saint-Emilion, Pomerol has never attempted an official classification of its wines. The hierarchy can be inferred from the reputation and price of the appellation’s leading wines.
2.
These wines are enthusiastically championed by the vinous brotherhood known as the Hospitaliers de Pomerol. The name is a nod to the famous hospices founded here in the 12th century by the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, better known these days as the Knights of Malta.
3.
Legend has it that the Barbanne – a stream which flows into the River Isle at Pomerol – was once the border which separated France’s two main linguistic areas: the Langue d’Oc and the Langue d’Oïl.
Let’s talk about the soil
Pomerol is forever indebted to the River Isle, which shaped the landscape as we know it.
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The soils of this famous plateau are a mixture of clay-gravel and sandy gravel, with density varying from one plot to the next. The subsoil, meanwhile, is rich in iron oxide, known locally as “crasse de fer” (ironpan). Therein lies the key to Pomerol’s distinctive character.
Let’s travel back in time
The Romans were the first to plant vines here, followed by the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages. Pomerol later became a popular staging post for pilgrims en route for Santiago de Compostela… and the quality of the wine was probably not a coincidence.
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The region was rocked by the upheaval of the Hundred Years’ War, but bounced backed from the 15th century onwards. In the mid-18th century, Pomerol as we know it began to take shape. Winegrowing techniques were modernized, and exports soared as the reputation of the wines grew.
Things ground to a halt in the late 19th century, as the phylloxera crisis ravaged the whole of the Bordeaux wine region. But Pomerol was reborn from the ashes once again, thanks in no small part to families who moved here from Corrèze and Belgium, and worked tirelessly to get the appellation back on its feet in the wake of the two world wars.
