Château Roc de Cambes

History of Château Roc de Cambes

The modern history of the estate begins in 1988, when François and Malou Mitjavile acquired this estate located a few hundred metres from the citadel of Bourg. A few years earlier, the couple had revolutionised the image of Saint-Émilion with Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf, by championing peasant values, respect for the vine and the truth of terroir. In search of a new project, François Mitjavile heeded the call of a friend who alerted him to an estate for sale near Bourg. Captivated from the very first visit by the magnificence of the terroir, its deep layers of cold limestone and its clays, he decided to buy it on the spot.

This century-old estate, with its superb 14th-century vaulted cellar, quickly became the quality benchmark of the Côtes de Bourg. By transposing here the expertise and vision that brought glory to Tertre Rôteboeuf, François Mitjavile, today supported by his family, has elevated Roc de Cambes to the ranks of the most sought-after wines of Bordeaux. Fiercely independent and passionate about agronomy, this erudite winemaker champions the idea that a great wine is born from the successful blending of an entire estate, running counter to the fashion of multiplying cuvées.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Roc de Cambes

The vineyard occupies the first slope overlooking the Gironde, a full south-facing exposure considered the most prestigious in the appellation. The river plays an essential regulatory role: it moderates excessive heat as well as the rigours of winter, protects the vines from frost and encourages consistent photosynthesis, ensuring perfectly ripe grapes. The sloping clay-limestone soils, rich in cold limestone and moisture-retaining clays, allow for a long vegetative cycle and lend the wines depth, complexity and longevity.

Made up of vines averaging around 45 years of age, the vineyard extends over approximately ten hectares arranged in an amphitheatre of hillsides. The grape varieties give pride of place to Merlot (around 75%), complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (around 20%) and a touch of Malbec (close to 5%), with Cabernet Franc also contributing its nuance in the house spirit. Vine management favours permanent grass cover and reasoned integrated pest management. Unusually for the Bordeaux region, pruning is carried out using the Cordon de Royat method, a short pruning system that aligns the grape clusters at a uniform height and guarantees consistent ripening.

Vinifications of Château Roc de Cambes

The Mitjavile signature rests first and foremost on the pursuit of autumnal ripeness. The vineyard, harvested by hand, is picked late, at the onset of a slight over-ripeness, as grapes gathered on the threshold of their decline age better than overly crunchy, primary wines. It is in this quest for freshness at the heart of rich concentration that the singular depth of Roc de Cambes is built — at low yields and without artificial concentration.

The winemaking remains traditional and meticulous, with everything blended from the very first pressings and at each racking, in the firm belief that a fine wine is the business of an entire estate. This is followed by the long work of ageing, the true key to the style. The wines rest for two to three years in new barrels sourced from a single cooper (fine grain, blonde toast), in a temperature-regulated but non-air-conditioned cellar, with regular oxygen input through numerous rackings. This patient ageing tames the tannins, rounds out the structure and shapes wines of great evolution — dense in colour, rich, full-bodied, and endowed with a remarkable ageing potential.

The Cuvées of Château Roc de Cambes

Château Roc de Cambes (Côtes de Bourg): the flagship and emblematic cuvée of the estate, this Merlot-dominant fine wine embodies the quintessence of the premier front de côte facing the Gironde. Its deep, dense colour announces an exotic and thrilling bouquet blending blackcurrant, black raspberry, vanilla pod, tobacco, wax and empyreumatic notes of roasting. The palate, ample and fleshy, seduces with its silky tannins, perfectly integrated oak and a final freshness inherited from the river that balances its power. Refined, precise and of great complexity, this wine can be enjoyed from five years but reaches its full maturity between ten and twenty years depending on the vintage. Often called the grand cru of the Côtes de Bourg, it has nothing to envy from the Bordeaux classified growths.

Domaine de Cambes (Bordeaux): drawn from the slopes at the foot of Roc de Cambes, along the estuary, this Bordeaux appellation wine represents the second face of the estate. Grown on more clay-sandy and siliceous soils, these vines yield a cuvée that is more approachable in its youth, without compromising on the house's exacting standards. Also aged for an extended period in barrels, it reveals a deep purple colour and a generous nose of raspberry, blackcurrant, plum jam and blackberry, lifted by cedar, camphor and soft spices such as white pepper. The palate is dense, indulgent and full-bodied, carried by very fine-grained tannins and an elegant freshness that extends a long, earthy finish. An artisan Bordeaux of remarkable quality-to-pleasure ratio, a faithful reflection of François Mitjavile's expertise.