Château Roc de Cambes

History of Château Roc de Cambes

The estate’s modern history began in 1988, when François and Malou Mitjavile purchased this wine property a few hundred meters from the citadel of Bourg. A few years earlier, the couple had transformed the image of Saint-Émilion with Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf, reviving a respect for farming traditions, the vine and the true character of the terroir. Seeking a new project, François Mitjavile answered a friend’s call about an estate for sale near Bourg. Captivated on his first visit by the splendor of its terroir, its deep layers of cool limestone and its clay soils, he decided to buy it on the spot.

This centuries-old wine property, with its superb 14th-century vaulted cellar, soon became a benchmark for quality in the Côtes de Bourg. Bringing to it the expertise and vision that made Tertre Rôteboeuf famous, François Mitjavile, now supported by his family, has elevated Roc de Cambes to the ranks of Bordeaux’s most sought-after wines. Fiercely independent and passionate about agronomy, this knowledgeable winegrower believes that a fine wine results from successfully blending the produce of an entire property, in contrast to the fashion for making numerous separate cuvées.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Château Roc de Cambes

The vineyard occupies the first slope overlooking the Gironde, with a due-south exposure considered the finest in the appellation. The river plays an essential moderating role: it tempers summer heat and winter cold, protects the vines from frost and encourages steady photosynthesis, helping the grapes reach full ripeness. The sloping clay-limestone soils, rich in cool limestone and moisture-retaining clay, allow for a long growing season and give the wines depth, complexity and longevity.

The vineyard covers around ten hectares of amphitheater-shaped slopes, with vines averaging approximately 45 years of age. Merlot predominates (about 75%), complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (around 20%) and a touch of Malbec (nearly 5%); Cabernet Franc also adds its nuance to the house style. Vineyard management favors permanent grass cover and a considered approach to treatments. Unusually for Bordeaux, the vines are pruned using the short Cordon de Royat method, which positions the grape clusters at a uniform height and helps ensure even ripening.

Winemaking at Château Roc de Cambes

The Mitjavile signature begins with a pursuit of autumn ripeness. The vineyard is harvested by hand and picked late, at the onset of slight overripeness, on the belief that grapes picked just as they begin to decline produce wines that age better than overly crisp young wines. This search for freshness amid richness gives Roc de Cambes its distinctive depth, achieved with low yields and no artificial concentration.

Winemaking remains traditional and meticulous, with everything blended from the first pressing and at every racking, reflecting the belief that a fine wine is the work of an entire property. Then comes the long aging process, the true key to the style. The wines spend two to three years in new barrels from a single cooper (fine-grained oak with a light toast), in a temperature-stable, non-air-conditioned cellar, with regular exposure to oxygen through numerous rackings. This patient aging tames the tannins, rounds out the palate and shapes wines that develop over time, with deep color, richness, structure and remarkable aging potential.

The Wines of Château Roc de Cambes

Château Roc de Cambes (Côtes de Bourg): the estate’s emblematic flagship wine, this Merlot-dominant fine wine embodies the very best of the first ridge overlooking the Gironde. Its deep, dense color heralds an exotic, vibrant bouquet of black currant, black raspberry, vanilla bean, tobacco, wax and smoky, roasted notes. The full, fleshy palate delights with silky tannins, perfectly integrated oak and a river-influenced freshness on the finish that balances its power. Fine, precise and highly complex, this wine can be enjoyed from five years of age but reaches full maturity between ten and twenty years, depending on the vintage. Often dubbed the grand cru of the Côtes de Bourg, it can hold its own against Bordeaux’s classified growths.

Domaine de Cambes (Bordeaux): from the lower slopes of Roc de Cambes, beside the estuary, this Bordeaux-appellation wine represents another side of the property. Grown on soils with more clay, sand and silica, these vines produce a wine that is more approachable in its youth without compromising the house’s exacting standards. Also aged at length in barrels, it reveals a dark purple color and generous aromas of raspberry, black currant, plum jam and blackberry, accented by cedar, camphor and sweet spices such as white pepper. The palate is dense, generous and expansive, carried by exceptionally fine tannins and an elegant freshness that extends its long, earthy finish. A distinctive Bordeaux offering remarkable drinking pleasure for the price and faithfully reflecting François Mitjavile’s expertise.