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So, it’s Saturday late afternoon and we zip into the grocery store to get a few things for dinner. I let Eric decide. Of course, red meat.
Okay, what goes with red meat? 😊
I’m thinking Bordeaux!
Open the wine fridge. Oh, here is that non-Pomerol-Pomerol that we never opened a few weekends ago due to our family’s delayed flights.
Yeah, this is perfect.
Pour the wine into the decanter as I prepare a quick appie. The wine now in our glasses – we are impressed. The wine barely had a chance to collect its thoughts and is immediately showing notes of leather, dark fruit. Yum!
“What was the relative price on this one, Eveline?” Hubby asks.
“Actually, rather reasonable for Bordeaux if I remember. It’s a 2022 so that always helps…” I reply.
“Why’s that?”
“The older the wine, the longer someone has had to store it. That costs that someone money in real estate and logistics. That cost is passed on to you the consumer.” I respond.
I look up the price. Yes, very reasonable, particularly for this quality. Wow. …
Okay why do you say non-Pomerol-Pomerol?
Pomerol is a very very prestigious Right Bank Bordeaux, France subregion.
Right Bank means Merlot dominant wine, right?
Exactly. Right Bank wines are mainly Merlot, and usually blended with Cabernet Franc and sometimes smaller percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Okay good. Now continue with Pomerol.
Pomerol wines can fetch some very high prices. In fact, a set of 2 bottles of Petrus 2022 is, according to Christie’s auction house website, currently bid up to GBP 5000 (currently at 7 bids)!
Oh my, that is wild!
To be clear, not all Pomerol costs that much. Petrus is Peak Pomerol.
So what was your wine?
It is from the subregion just to the north of Pomerol proper called Lalande-de-Pomerol.
So what’s the difference?
These two subregions are neighbours with only a river, la riviere Barbanne, separating them. They are both located just north of the city of Libourne within Bordeaux wine region.
Pomerol has produced grapes on and off since Roman times but was abandoned during the Hundred Years’ War (1337 – 1453) until the 15th and 16th centuries. But it was always its other neighbouring subregion St-Émilion’s ugly stepchild. But eventually, in the early 20th century Pomerol wine caught on in Belgium and things grew from there.
The area of Pomerol that has the highest reputation for quality wines, and more importantly higher prices, is on the highest parts of the plateau where Petrus grapes are grown. The soil is alternating layers of gravel and clay with sand concentration increasing westward. In the western portion, relatively lighter wines are produced.
On the north side of the Barbanne, in Lalande-de-Pomerol, the soil changes. The further you move away from the river (and Pomerol) the lower the gravel concentration.
Interestingly, the featured wine was made from grapes grown less than 2 km from the famous Pomerol plateau. Those vineyards do contain some sandy gravelly soil along with varying concentration of clay throughout the plot.
Tell me more about this wine!
The blend is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The producer is called Famille Dubard, a family business founded by two brothers and sister in 1977. Enter the next generation with Grégory, who trained as an engineer and oenologist (aka winemaker). He took over a significant portion of the leadership in 2008.
Chateau La Croix Romane became part of the Famille Dubard’s wine estate around this time. The name comes from a nearby 12th century church established by Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta).
Love that!
How does this fit into your personal wine journey? Why is this wine relevant to you?
I visited Pomerol in May 2022. After hearing so much about it and St-Émilion, it was pretty exciting. I hope to go back one day. The wines were delicious! I am a fan!
To whom would you recommend your featured wine?
To someone who likes a structured full body old world red wine.
What do you mean by structured?
This wine is high in tannins. They are very approachable as they are high quality and fine grained, but they are definitely high. The acidity in Bordeaux wines is also high. This is why they are such great food pairing wines. A Bordeaux, and this one is no different, pairs nicely with red meat as its protein binds with the tannin, softening the tannin’s astringency. The fat in the meat also smooths out the tannin’s bitterness. A classic pairing!
You make tannins sound awful. Astringent and bitter.
Do you like black or green tea (astringent) or coffee and dark chocolate (bitter)?
Yes! I see, that is helpful!
I recommend serving Bordeaux wines with food, but I have learned that some people will drink a Bordeaux or other structured full body wines solo. Ultimately, we all experience wines differently!
So true!
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Château La Croix Romane 2022 from Lalande-de-Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Style: Dry Full Body Old World Red Wine
Varieties: 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc & 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
This outstanding, rich and complex wine has intense flavors of ripe red cherry, blueberry, blackberry, cassis, black cherry, baking spice, leather, earth, and a hint of coffee and tobacco notes. This wine has high fine grained tannins and a long finish.
Best pairings: Barbecued beef steak, Herb-crusted rack of lamb, Venison or other game meats, Duck Meat, Osso Buco, Beef Bourguignon, Pâtés and terrines, Mushroom risotto , Cheese: Gruyère or Comté
Serving Temperature: 16-18 degrees Celsius
Serving Tips: Decant. It can be enjoyed within 15 minutes, although the wine will continue to evolve.
Price: ~$38 Cdn
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SOURCES:
AlicePiney_AdminDubard (2024) Nos valeurs - Vignobles Dubard. https://vignoblesdubard.fr/nos-valeurs/.
AlicePiney_AdminDubard (2025) ‘Château Laulerie, les racines de notre histoire - Vignobles Dubard,’ Vignobles Dubard, 22 April. https://vignoblesdubard.fr/chateau-laulerie-racines-de-notre-histoire/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Britannica Editors (2025) Hundred Years’ War | Summary, Causes, Effects, combatants, timeline, & facts. https://www.britannica.com/event/Hundred-Years-War.
Château Pétrus | Wine for sale, auction results & history (no date). https://www.christies.com/en/artists/chateau-petrus?lotavailability=All&sortby=relevance&utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Harding, J. and Robinson, J. (2023) The oxford companion to wine. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Odvod Media (2025) Château Laulerie & Château La Croix Romane - Enotri Wine Marketing. https://enotri.com/brand/vignobles-dubard-chateau-laulerie/.
VIGNOBLES DUBARD and Dubard, M.E.G. (2016) Château La Croix Romane Lalande de Pomerol, Château La Croix Romane Lalande de Pomerol, pp. 1–2. https://enotri.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Ch-La-Criox-Romane-Lalande-de-Pomerol-2016.pdf.
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2021) D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.