At all events organised for the promotion of the Pomerol winegrowing area and more generally for Bordeaux wines, Pomerol is represented by its wine brotherhood: “The Pomerol Hospitallers” (Les Hospitaliers de Pomerol).

This wine brotherhood rekindles the memory of one of its legendary hospices built during the twelfth century by the powerful Hospitallers of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem, today known as the Order of Malta.

These hospices, built along the main medieval pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela, had to receive a huge number of Christian pilgrims in the distant past. The study of medieval archives shows that Pomerol’s hospice was renowned for the warmth of its welcome, as well as for the quality and virtues of its wine, considered invigorating and therapeutic.

In Pomerol, it is still possible to see ancient rocks that in the past served as boundary stones for the domain belonging to the Hospitallers’ Commandery. A Maltese cross was sculpted on all of these boundary stones.

It is to perpetuate this memory that the Pomerol Hospitallers now wear on their red robes a large Maltese cross, with a scallop shell (symbol of the Apostle James the Greater) at the intersection of the points of the cross.

Like the Knights of Malta who took care of pilgrims and protected holy places, Hospitallers these days continue the tradition of welcome in Pomerol and hold high the banner of the Pomerol Appellation throughout the world.