Pomerol dates back to Roman civilisation

In days gone by, two ancient routes crossed the plateau of Pomerol. The poet Ausone used to take one of these when he travelled to the port of Condat, near Libourne, to his villa named Lucaniac.

It was initially the Romans and then the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem who grew vines in this parish. Pilgrims travelling along the Way of Saint James to Santiago de Compostela who took the traditional route via Pomerol, found hospitality and comfort here. For them, Pomerol was a memorable place to stop over during their long journey. Generous local wines undoubtedly contributed to restoring the energy they required to continue their pilgrimage and travel to the various stages before and beyond the Pyrenees Mountains.

During the 12th century and throughout the whole of the medieval period, the winegrowing area of Pomerol grew considerably thanks to the Commanderies of the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of Saint-John of Jerusalem, of whom the Knights of Malta are now their successors. Destroyed and abandoned as a result of the adversities that ensued from the Hundred Years’ War and successive wars of religion, the winegrowing area was eventually re-constituted during the 15th and 16th centuries. At that point, the Hospitallers re-established their first commandery in the Libourne area. They built a “hospice” manor, which alas no longer exists, and a Romanesque church in the purest style that was sadly destroyed by fire during the 19th century. It was replaced by a more spacious church whose spire now rises up from the heart of the winegrowing area.

By the middle of the 18th century, the Appellation’s modern aspect was beginning to take shape.

From this point onwards, viticulture in Pomerol continued to develop rapidly. Its wines were increasingly sought after by gourmets from all over the world. During the 19th century, foreign ships, enthusiasts and purchasers of these wines took the renown of Pomerol overseas.

Wine merchants from leading international trade cities, expert connoisseurs, made every effort to visit Pomerol regularly to observe the progress of its wines as closely as possible and buy them.

Having begun its phase of modernisation and development, Pomerol was forced to halt the flow of progress because of an infestation by phylloxera. This insect which originated from America, a lethal vine parasite, destroyed the entire Bordeaux winegrowing region. But Pomerol would later be pieced together once again.

The expansion of vine growing in Pomerol was given a boost by the arrival of new families who came mainly from the Corrèze region of France and from Belgium during the period between the two world wars and after 1945. Considerable wine trade activity played a key role in sales for this Appellation, since several estate owners were also wine merchants.

Situated at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne rivers, the port of Libourne was at a crossroads with the rest of Europe and for many long years was marked by an extraordinary bustle that encouraged trade activity for the region. This remarkable geographical position largely contributed to the growth of the local economy.

This ideal setting is now one of the most reputed winegrowing areas in the world. Pomerol’s tradition combined with its modernity ensures the most secure prospects for its future. Its size, the character of its wine producers, the opulence of its Merlots and the specific features of its terroir guarantee the singularity and finest quality of its wines.