Pomerol

 

Pomerol is the home of the micro chateaux. A region that did exceedingly well without any classification and managed to achieve enviable reputation as well as price for it's boutique wines. The fact that the estates are fairly small therefore demand for the best chateaux always outstrips supply has a lot to do with it's fame and fortune. Chateau Petrus, Le Pin and Lafleur are just a few properties to have benefited enormously. This is Merlot land (around 80%), and around 800 ha is dedicated to this variety planted on a plateau of a mix of gravel and clay that has high iron content, known locally as crasse de fer.

The fact that the region relies so heavily on Merlot is a double edged sword. On one hand these wines are approachable in their youth as well as they can age for a very long time - thanks to super low yields and consequent ripeness. On the other, Pomerol 'put all of it's eggs in one basket' so to say, and in years with rough and cold springs this can be the undoing of the Merlot. Therefore the risk is high that even the whole crop might be lost. The wines themselves are fleshy and plummy and can reach great complexity with age.

 

Pomerol can fetch unprecedented prices amongst all clarets.