Pomerol

Like St-Émilion, Pomerol is a small plateau dotted with small wine farms, on an even smaller scale. The most famous Pomerol of all, Petrus, comprises hardly 12 ha (30 acres) of a very special clay, and there are other properties such as Ch Lafleur and Le Pin whose extremely limited size helps to bolster the prices of their extremely fine, opulent wines. Pomerols are velvety, rich, Merlot-based wines which can smell almost meaty and can give an enormous amount of pleasure. Bargains from this small appellation are as rare as badly made wines, but the produce of vintages which were much more successful for Merlot than Cabernet (2006, 2001, 1998, 1994 and 1993, for example) are often relatively underpriced because the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated left bank tends to make the reputation of each vintage in Bordeaux (and to a certain extent in the whole of France).

Some favourite producers: La Conseillante, L’Église Clinet, L’Évangile, Lafleur, Petrus, Le Pin, Vieux Château Certan.