Pomerol

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The high Günz terrace, lying between 30 and 40 metres in elevation, is composed of reddened sands, gravels and pebbles resting on Tertiary clay formations rich in smectites.
• Between 20 and 25 metres in elevation, the middle Riss terraces are layered, formed of sands, gravels and pebbles within a sandy-clay matrix.
• Across the slopes and lower slope areas spread sandy-clay and gravelly colluvial formations, resting on sands, gravels and pebbles, and then on sandy clays.
• The relatively flat topography of the appellation, sloping gradually towards the Isle valley at its confluence with the Dordogne, results from the complete erosion of the Tertiary calcareous formations by the Isle river.
• The location of the geographical area to the north-east of the Gironde lends it perceptible continental nuances, expressed through higher temperatures in summer and autumn that favour grape ripening.

• The establishment in the twelfth century of the first commandery of the Order of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem marks the beginning of the development of the vineyard, with the hospice serving as a staging post for pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela.
• A ruling by the Gironde tribunal on 29 December 1928 fixed the geographical boundaries of the name Pomerol, an area incorporated in 1936 when the appellation was formally recognised by decree.

• Merlot, the overwhelmingly dominant variety, gives the wines intense colour and a powerful nose evoking dark fruits, sometimes with notes of violet and truffle.
• These wines are full and of great length on the palate, without harshness, can support long bottle ageing, and are elegant and well-balanced.

• The Tertiary clay substratum induces slow ripening of the grapes and very well-regulated water supply to the vine, thanks to this cool horizon.
• The subsoil containing iron oxides, known as crasse de fer, contributes specific mineral elements which, together with a favourable climate, give the wines of Pomerol their distinctive character.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 12 octobre 2021, JORF 20 octobre 2021
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVB