Merlot rules in Pomerol, and nowhere in the world does this variety make more complete wines than on the flat clay-rich plateau that lies at the heart of this appellation. As in neighboring Saint-Emilion, not to mention the surrounding satellite appellations of the Right Bank, vineyard size and scale of production in Pomerol are much smaller than on the grand estates of the Médoc: most Pomerol properties are châteaux in name only. Pomerols are characterized by extravagantly rich, sweet fruit, and supple tannins. Not surprisingly, oenophiles who prize wines that are accessible at an early age crave these wines.