Bordeaux 2007 at Ten Years: Pomerol
Clearly Pomerol follows, at least a very basic level, the same blueprint as St Emilion in 2007, with a similar broad dependence on Merlot. Yes, this is of course a gross and sweeping generalisation, as the terroir is different, with clay, gravel and sand and none of the limestone that typifies its neighbour, and there are more estates in St Emilion which focus more on Cabernet Franc than those in Pomerol, which aside from the obvious exception of Château Lafleur are classically 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, or something very similar.
Despite this stronger focus on Merlot than many of their St Emilion peers, this variety a disadvantage in this vintage, and the exalted status of many of the St Emilion châteaux tasted, I feel the wines of Pomerol show slightly better than those of St Emilion. It is a fairly minor difference on the whole though.
Leading the way in the 2007 vintage are the three greats of Pomerol, Château Lafleur, Petrus and Le Pin, each of which have turned out a wine worthy of their respective terroirs. None of these are great examples of what these estates can give us in much more benevolent years, but they are admirable wines, and seem impressive in the context of the vintage.
The 2007 Château Lafleur shows sweet fruit laced with notes of roasted herb and a crisp acidity, while the 2007 Petrus shows a more evolved character, with some dusty fruit and tobacco, while the 2007 Le Pin is perfumed with floral freshness. No other wines in the appellation can match them, but one or two at least come close, including the 2007 Vieux Château Certan, a charming melange of chalk dust and tobacco leaf, and a rather likeable 2007 Château L’Église-Clinet.
