Bordeaux Pomerol wines are rich, decadent reds, with notes of chocolate, dark cherry, plums and spice, soft tannins and elegance courtesy of the Merlot grape.

The most lush—and expensive—wines come from a plateau of clay, gravel and iron, while lighter, more acidic wines come from the region’s sandy soils.

Situated on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, Pomerol is dominated by small estates that command premium prices.

Approximately 80 percent of the region’s plantings are Merlot, unlike other regions of Bordeaux where no one grape dominates so singularly; and one disadvantage is that bad weather can wreak havoc on an individual vintage.