Pomerol

Pomerol, though without any formal classification to speak of, is nevertheless home to some of the most sought after and expensive wines in the world. The landscape is littered with small-scale and often family-shared producers who produce plummy, lush and long-lived wines. The wine is usually more robust than other examples found in the Bordeaux and boasts a slippery velvet quality. Merlot is pre-eminent here and is usually combined with Cabernet Franc and smaller quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike the neighbouring Medoc there are few imposing chateaus to be found, but the wine is of exceptional quality. Wines such as Chateau Pétrus and Chateau Le Pin are considered by critics to be equal in quality to the neighbouring classified first growths of ChâteauLatour and Château Cheval Blanc.

Soil: Ranges from gravel and sand to soft clay.
Size: 800 hectares
Output: approx 5,300,000 bottles a year.
Type of wine produced: Full-body red with a strong bouquet.
Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.