From: Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Varietals: 92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc
Tasting Notes and Critical Acclaim: This luxurious Right Bank Bordeaux from the fantastic 2019 vintage will impress your senses immediately, though it’ll open up wonderfully in your glass. As is typical for the area, this wine is mostly Merlot with some Cabernet Franc (the blend in the bottle mimics the plantings in the vineyard). Its aromas and flavors are lush and luminous, full of rich dark fruits, cocoa, toasted vanilla, cherry, and spice, highlighted with a hint of cocoa. Even though this wine is luxuriant, it leans toward an old-school style, and we greatly appreciate its mouthwatering acidity, clean fruits, and balanced oak and spice notes. It’s a steal at this price, and we highly recommend stocking up! It’s a fantastic dinner-party wine that can also be used as a last-minute birthday or host gift.
"A fine, ripe, juicy wine with balanced tannins, this is rich in Merlot and fine spice. The wine's structure and its solid texture show fine potential. Drink this concentrated wine from 2025." —Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, 92 points
"Same owners as Ch Chambrun, and a slightly more old school Lalande de Pomerol interpretation of the vintage, meaning more red fruits, juicy with fresh acidities and higher floral aromatics." –Jane Anson, Decanter, 90 points
"Aromas of dark plums, blueberries, walnuts, honey and baking spices. Medium-to full-bodied with chewy tannins. Fruity, with a ripe, dense finish. Drink after 2023." –James Suckling, 90 points
Pairing: Get your grilled steak (or portobello if you’re vegetarian) on! It also pairs well with duck, lamb, and anything with a little char. Beef pot pies, birria tacos, gyro takeout, kalbi, and beef teriyaki are some off-the-beaten-path pairs for any high/low fans of treating yourself on a busy schedule. For a vegetarian main-course pairing, we’re
sharing a recipe for Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, the original recipe from Dianne Wenz and adapted by Tara Parker-Pope.
About. Lalande de Pomerol is next to and just north of the more famous and prestigious Pomerol appellation. The Barbanne stream is a dividing line between Lalande de Pomerol and Pomerol. St. Emilion is due south. Lalande de Pomerol is situated not far from the city of Libourne, the prestigious business district of the Right Bank. The neighboring Dordogne River is an important factor in the region’s microclimate, as it brings much-needed nourishment and moisture to the vines.
Close to 200 chateaux produce wine in Lalande de Pomerol. Growers in the appellation did not start using the appellation name, Lalande de Pomerol, on their labels until 1925. Lalande de Pomerol was officially designated as an AOC appellation by the INAO in 1954.
The best terroir in Lalande de Pomerol is the clay and gravel soils, similar to those in Pomerol. Traces of iron oxide can also be found in the soils. Vineyards also produce lighter-styled wines from terroir with sandy soils.
The best vintages of Lalande de Pomerol are 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2001, and 2000. Generally speaking, if it were a good vintage in Pomerol, it would also be an equally strong vintage for Lalande de Pomerol. The differences between the two are felt in poor vintages.
In Lalande de Pomerol, Merlot is the dominant grape, with close to 75% of all plantings devoted to it. This is followed by Cabernet Franc, which accounts for more than 90% of all plantings in Lalande de Pomerol. A few producers also plant small amounts of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This wine. The Château Moncets estate is the oldest vineyard between the chateaux' estates. It was created in 1770 and bears the name of the Général de Moncets, who
purchased it in 1872. Bought in 2012 by a French family company, the vines and cellars have been totally rehabilitated to sustain the vineyard and integrate a second vineyard, the « Château de Chambrun .»
