Château L'Enclos de Tourmaline· Pomerol
About the domain.
Three hectares in Pomerol is not much, and that is the point. L'Enclos de Tourmaline is one of Peter Kwok's right-bank properties, a Hong Kong-born collector turned proprietor who has built a quiet portfolio across Bordeaux, and this is among the smallest and most precise of them.
The vines, planted back in 1960, sit on deep clay laced with crasse de fer, the iron-rich subsoil that gives Pomerol its savour. Almost entirely Merlot, yields kept low at 28 hl/ha, raised in 60 percent new oak. It is built on a serious scale despite the size.
Pomerol of this quality is hard to allocate and harder to keep in stock. I secure what I can and do not pretend it will last.
Silky, concentrated.
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Dark plum, iron, truffle. Fine tannin. A small wine that thinks big.
Dense, structured.
The clay shows. Heavy fruit, firm backbone. Needs ten years. Will reward patience.