In addition to the Haut-Médoc and its communes, in addition to Pessac-Léognan, Graves and Saint-Emilion, Pomerol completes the exclusive circle of those regions that have given Bordelais red wines world recognition and made them the most sought-after wines around the globe. However, the small region only entered this illustrious circle late; the steep rise to the top only really began in the second half of the 20th century and was initially only associated with a name that is now one of the great legends - Chateau Petrus. And when the famous American wine critic Robert Parker discovered this region in the 80s, nothing stood in the way of a stellar career. The history of viticulture in Pomerol, like everywhere else in Bordeaux, began with the Romans. The Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453), a massive dispute between the English and French royal families, which also raised the issue of supremacy in Bordeaux, brought viticulture here to a standstill. In the middle of the 18th century, as elsewhere in Bordeaux, it picked up speed again. While chateaus on the left bank of the Gironde, such as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild or Chateau Margaux, were already very famous, the chateaus of Pomerol enjoyed more of an insider tip aura. The spectacular appearance of the 1947 Chateau Petrus, which is now one of the legends and cult wines and which has the reputation of a “wine of the century”, then drew the interest of lovers of sophisticated Bordeaux wines to the small Pomerol. By the way, just a few years ago the American Wine Advocate certified this legendary 47 as having a long life and awarded it 100 points. In addition to the iconic Petrus, numerous chateaus with outstanding wines were subsequently added, such as Chateau Lafleur, Chateau Le Pin, Chateau La Fleur Petrus or Vieux Chateau Certan, to name just a few. The Pomerol region is largely a high plateau that begins on the outskirts of Libourne and connects to the vineyards of Saint-Émilion to the east. Together with this famous and much larger neighbor, Pomerol forms the heart of the so-called “right bank”, which is often cited in the professional world. The Pomerol vineyards cover just under 800 hectares, spread over 140 chateaus. This also means that the vast majority of chateaus barely manage more than 6 hectares; some are even pure boutique or garage wineries with property of less than 3 hectares. And that also means that the quantities produced per chateau tend to be homeopathic. You won't find the sophisticated and glamor of the Left Bank here; the chateaus are mostly small properties, so you have to laboriously search for even the most famous names; it's all too easy to get lost. The climate on the right bank is clearly continental; the Atlantic influence is less than on the other side of the Gironde. The soil near Libourne is still characterized by sand and pebbles, but the actual plateau of Pomerol is clearly made of loam and clay. Therefore, a different percentage of Bordeaux grape varieties can be found here. In contrast to most other regions in Bordeaux, 80% of the vineyard area here consists of Merlot, the second important grape variety is Cabernet Franc. Quite a few chateaus, not least Chateau Petrus, do without any Cabernet content and bottle their wine as pure Merlot, and this makes them the most sought-after and expensive Merlot wines in the world, apart from Ornellaia's “Masseto” in Tuscany. Despite the high quality and absolute exclusivity of the wines, Pomerol has not yet received any classification. However, this has in no way harmed the immense worldwide demand; despite their considerably high price structure, the exclusive wines from Pomerol enjoy unbroken demand among connoisseurs and lovers, and this makes them the most sought-after and therefore also the most expensive wines in Bordeaux!
