Our Story
HISTORY
The vineyards of Chateau Pomeaux were historically part of Chateau Taillefer. Chateau Taillefer is one of the oldest properties in the Pomerol appellation, dating back to at least 1785. Its chateau was built in the early 19th Century, and its vineyards were once the most extensive in Pomerol. Chateau Pomeaux was purchased by its current owner in 1998 from a member of the famous Moueix family, owners of Chateau Taillefer, Chateau Petrus, Chateau Trotanoy, Chateau Lafleur-Petrus, Chateau Hosanna, Chateau Lagrange, Chateau La Tour a Pomerol, and other important wine estates in Bordeaux and California. Chateau Taillefer was the first Pomerol property purchased by the Moueix family. Since its acquisition by its current owner, Chateau Pomeaux has been a small independent producer, with a focus on maximum quality over quantity. Chateau Pomeaux benefits from an exceptional location on the southeastern slope of the Pomerol plateau, nestled on a south-facing slope of gravel with a clay and iron subsoil. Other famous Pomerol producers that share this superb location include Chateau Petrus, Chateau Le Pin, and Vieux Chateau Certain. Other prestigious neighbors include Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Figeac.
Merlot is the only grape variety planted at Chateau Pomeaux. The average age of Chateau Pomeaux’s vines is 45 years, meaning they can produce intense and complex grapes and wines. Chateau Pomeaux’s vines are planted at 6,600 per hectare and spaced 1.5 metres apart. Grapes are hand-picked and meticulously selected to ensure only the best fruit is used. Chateau Pomeaux employs rigorous double guyot pruning, green harvests, late picking to ensure optimum maturity, meticulous hand picking, and careful selection. The grapes that survive this intensive selection process are subjected to temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation in large oak tanks, lengthy periods of malolactic fermentation in small new oak barrels, scrupulous vinification, and extended aging in new oak barrels. Since 2001, Chateau Pomeaux’s 2.2+ hectares of vines have been organically and biodynamically cultivated and harvested, using only non-chemical fertilizers and pest control. This emphasis on quality means that Chateau Pomeaux produces an average of only 8,000 bottles of ultra-high quality wine annually, making its wine truly exclusive.
TERROIR
The most important factor in producing great wine is terroir. This French term encompasses all the factors in the growing environment that determine how well vines perform. Components of terroir include climate, soil, aspect, slope, and grape variety. Chateau Pomeaux benefits from outstanding terroir. Bordeaux in general and Pomerol in particular possess the ideal climate for red wine grape cultivation.
Abundant sunshine, adequate but moderate rainfall, and the proximity of Bordeaux to the Atlantic Ocean provide a perfect Maritime climate for growing red wine grapes. The south-facing vineyards of Chateau Pomeaux sit on a rich gravel slope, with clay and iron subsoil. These elements are highly favorable to the cultivation of Merlot Noir grapes and help the grapes to achieve optimum ripeness and concentration.
CHATEAU POMEAUX
Chateau Pomeaux benefits from an exceptional location on the southern slope of the Pomerol plateau. Chateau Pomeaux’s prestigious neighbors include Chateau Petrus, Chateau Le Pin, Vieux Chateau Certain, Chateau Cheval Blanc, and Chateau Figeac. Merlot Noir is the only grape variety planted at Chateau Pomeaux. Chateau Pomeaux’s 2.2+ hectares of vines are planted at 6,600 per hectare and spaced 1.5 meters apart. The average age of Chateau Pomeaux’s vines is 45 years, meaning they can produce intense and complex grapes and wines. In addition to terroir, the other important factor in producing great wine is the influence of man. Since Chateau Pomeaux was founded, its owners have been committed to using the best viticulture and winemaking techniques to produce the highest quality wine, consistently sacrificing quantity for higher quality
For more than two decades, Chateau Pomeaux’s vines have been carefully and lovingly cultivated using organic and biodynamic principles, employing rigorous double guyot pruning, green harvests, late picking to achieve optimum maturity, meticulous hand picking, and careful selection to ensure only the best quality grapes are used to create Chateau Pomeaux wines. The grapes that survive this intensive selection process are subjected to temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation in large oak tanks, lengthy periods of malolactic fermentation in small new oak barrels, scrupulous vinification, and extended aging in new oak barrels. This emphasis on quality results in more mature, concentrated, and expressive grapes, with complex and elegant flavors that can be appreciated in Chateau Pomeaux’s wines. This commitment to quality means that Chateau Pomeaux produces an average of only 8,000 bottles of ultra-high quality wine annually, making its wine truly exclusive.
