Pomerol
|
Pomerol is the smallest of
the great appellations in Bordeaux.
Red wines make up almost all the production. Merlot is the
dominant grape in Pomerol (as it is in St.
Emilion) and the wines from this area often contain
80% or more of that variety. The Merlot
variety produces wines in Pomerol that are soft, full of fruit
and rich in flavor. Even though the Merlot grape produces
wonderful wines in this Pomerol, the real reason that it is grown
here is that frosts arrive earlier in this region than in the
Medoc.
Merlot ripens earlier than Cabernet
Sauvignon and is much more likely to produce a mature
crop. The second, most used grape in Pomerol is Cabernet
Franc.
|
Pomerol estates tend to be much smaller
than their counterparts in the Medoc
region. There are only about 1800 acres of vineyards in
Pomerol. These vineyards are spread among the roughly 150
estates that produce an average of 1000 to 4000 cases each.
In the Medoc region, the estates are generally much larger with
production in the 10,000 to 20,000 case range for most of the
estates.
|
There has never been an official
classification of the chateaux of Pomerol. Even without
an official classification, there are several properties that
have distinguished themselves based on the consistent quality
they have achieved over many years.
|
The soils of Pomerol range from a
gravel and clay mixture found in the eastern part of the commune
to a lighter soil with more sand in the west. The Plateau of Pomerol
is a gravel deposit on the east side of Pomerol where most of
the famous and well known chateaux are located. Within this gravel
deposit you will find clay in quatities that range from a mixture
with the gravel to actual pockets of almost pure clay. The most
famous chateau of Pomerol is Chateau
Petrus. Petrus is located on one of the pockets of
clay on the plateau. The wines from the plateau are fuller, richer
and generally better than those from the sandy area to the west.
|
Chateau Petrus
|
Vieux-Chateau-Certan
|
Chateau
Petit-Village
|
La Tour a Pomerol
|
Chateau
Trotanoy
|
Certan-de-May
|
Chateau
La Conseillante
|
Le
Pin
|
Chateau
Lafleur
|
Chateau
Lafleur-Petrus
|
Chateau
Gazin
|
Chateau
l'Evangile
|
Other
nice properties are:
|
Clos
L'Eglise
|
|
|
|