Pomerol
It was first the Romans and then the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem who cultivated the vines in this parish. Pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela who followed the traditional route from Pomerol found hospitality and comfort there. And for them, Pomerol remained a memorable stopover. The generous wines of the terroir had undoubtedly contributed to restoring the courage necessary to continue their pilgrimage and cover the numerous stages below and beyond the Pyrenees.
In the 12th century and throughout the Middle Ages, the Pomerol vineyard developed largely thanks to the Commanderies of the Hospitallers of Saint-Jean of Jerusalem, of which the Knights of Malta are today the heirs. Devastated and abandoned by the tribulations of the Hundred Years' War, and by the Wars of Religion, the vineyard was finally reconstituted during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Hospitallers then established their first commandery in Libourne. They published a manor “a hospice” which unfortunately disappeared and a church of the purest novel, unfortunately, destroyed by a fire in the 19th century. It will be replaced by a more spacious church, whose spire still stands today in the heart of the vineyard.
In the middle of the 18th century the modern face of this prestigious Appellation took shape.
Since then, viticulture has experienced growing growth. His wines were increasingly sought after by gourmets around the world. During the 19th century, foreign ships, fans and buyers of its wines took Pomerol's reputation overseas.
The wine merchants from the best international markets, fine connoisseurs, made a point of regularly visiting Pomerol, in order to follow the evolution of the wines as closely as possible and buy them.
Entering its phase of modernization and expansion, the vineyard had to interrupt its course at the end of the 19th century in the face of the phylloxera invasion. Coming from across the Atlantic, this dangerous parasite destroyed the entire Bordeaux vineyard. Pomerol will be replenished again.
The development of Pomerolais viticulture will be boosted by the arrival of new families coming mainly from Corrèze and Belgium during the interwar period and after 1945. The significant trading activity played a primordial role in the marketing of the Appellation , several castle owners also being traders.
At the confluence of the Isle and the Dordogne, the port of Libourne remained a crossroads with the rest of Europe, long marked by an extraordinary dynamism favoring commercial activity in the region. This exceptional geographical location contributed greatly to the growth of the local economy.
Today, this wine setting remains one of the most famous vineyards in the world. Its tradition combined with its modernity ensures a very serene future. Its size, the personality of its winegrowers, the opulence of the Merlots and the specificity of its terroir guarantee originality and label.