2000 Château de Bel-Air Lalande de Pomerol, 6-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Lalande-de-Pomerol is a red wine appellation just north of Pomerol. The two main communes are Lalande-de-Pomerol and Néac. As part of the Bordeaux Right Bank, the wines of this appellation are primarily Merlot, with additions of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Although Lalande-de-Pomerol has historically been considered a lesser appellation than its distinguished neighbor Pomerol, in recent decades Lalande-de-Pomerol has been revitalized as owners of estates in Pomerol also acquire estates in Lalande-de-Pomerol, typically using the same winemakers and viticultural practices for both estates. Without almost 2,600 vineyard acres, Lalande-de-Pomerol is slightly larger than Pomerol. The official appellation was awarded in 1954, although some estates had been using Lalande-de-Pomerol designations on their labels as early as the 1920s.