It founded a territorial state and protected the Mediterranean against the Moors. In 1522, it had to leave Rhodes as Soliman the Great captured the Island, and it spent 8 years without a base. In 1530 it was given a donation of the Island of Malta. It remained of the utmost importance in history until the 19th century. It fi nally lost its possessions in England and in Germany under the reforms and its French possessions under the Revolution. Also the French took Malta under Napoléon There was therefore a conversion to Trieste, in 1798, and then to Rome, in 1834. Later all its land and possessions in Russia were confi scated by the State. Finally, after so many trials and tribulations, in 1961, Pope John 23rd recognised a religious and chivalric order. Today it has diplomatic relations with the Vatican. They continue to maintain hospitals, fi rst aid centres and aid centres for refugees and the injured. The Grand Master of the order is a Prince and ecclesiastically equivalent to a Cardinal. The Commandery basically took possession of Pomerol in the 12th Century. The Pomerol Commandery is the oldest Commandery in Aquitaine, whilst the oldest in France is Villedieu les Poëles, in Normandy. It (the Pomerol one) was constituted on the basis of the “Lands of Barbanne”, which were given to the order at the beginning of the 12th century by Lucien de Pois and Guillaume de Ségur. The Chevaliers of the Commandery tended and developed the vine throughout their long history, which lasted until the dispossession of the church and its lands by the French Revolution, as noted above. Each Commandery was headed by a Commander and, up to the time of the Revolution, there were 42 of them. They had full Seigniorial rights over Pomerol as well as spiritual rights. Here they divided up their land into 11 concessions, which were rented out to various classes of persons. The Pomerol lands were large and the rents were low. More can be seen about the way these concessions were handled under the profi le of Château Gazin.

Pomerol history, post Revolution, can be found in the HISTORY OF Château of each of the FIVE WINES in this issue. Pomerol today covers the small area of 800 hectares of vines, some 4 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, divided up between 150 owners, who declare a crop each year. Its production, since 1995, has varied between 24,500 hectolitres in 2003 and 40,100 in 1995, but in 1986 got up to 46,000 hectolitres/hectare. 60% of this production is consumed in France and the other 40% is exported. The principal grape varieties are Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc (locally known as Bouchet and earlier, in the 16th century, as Bidure. This is just possibly the original Vitis Biturica, cultivated by the Romans and praised by Pliny) 25% and Cabernet Sauvignon 5%. The Viticultural Syndicate of Pomerol was founded in 1900, to defend the name of Pomerol. It later founded a vinous order, the “Hospitaliers de Pomerol”, to promote and publicise their wines. The offi cial “Appellation Pomerol Contrôlée” was created in 1936. The region of Pomerol has never had, never requested and never wanted an official classification.

Article available in TASTED's
Winter 2005/06 edition