"François Mitjavile, the eccentric wizard who conjures extraordinary wines from Château Tertre Rôteboeuf in St-Emilion, was keen to expand his famous property in the late 1980s.

Unfortunately that wasn’t a feasible option in this costly part of Bordeaux, so he instead purchased a 14 hectare Merlot-dominated property in the less fashionable, and less expensive, Côtes de Bourg in 1988. Named Roc de Cambes, it had similar clay-limestone soils which intrigued Mitjavile, a south-facing exposure, and ample old vines.

The winemaking here echoes that at Tertre Rôteboeuf, with fermentation in cement tanks and long ageing in new barriques. The challenge here, is to achieve full ripeness while retaining freshness and elegance. In this he succeeds admirably, and even the lesser vintages at Roc de Cambes can be outstanding."
(Decanter Magazine, January 2017)

"Roc de Cambes is vinified in traditional concrete vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barrels. The wine is then aged in an average of 50% new, French oak barrels for between 18 to 24 months before bottling.

They also produce Domaine de Cambes, which is not considered a second wine, as it comes from a different terroir and grape source. Domaine de Cambes is not in the boundaries of the Cotes de Bourg appellation. Domaine de Cambes, unlike Roc de Cambes is labeled and sold as a Bordeaux AOC wine. The vines are much further down the slopes and they are closer to the Gironde, creating a cooler terroir with more clay in the soils as well.
(The Wine Cellar Inside, May 2018)

Critic Reviews

"The 2019 Domaine des Cambes is well defined on the nose with crushed iris petal, sand and incense combining nicely with the opulent black fruit. A touch of sage develops with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a creamy textured opening belying the structure that lies underneath. Veins of dark chocolate appear towards the finish that retains impressive delineation and it certainly has length. It will need 3-5 years just to assimilate the oak. Drink 2024 - 2038.
90/92 points."
(Neal Martin, vinous.com, June 2020)

"70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample.
Fruit pushed to the edge of overripeness but it works. Bright, dark-fruit notes with toasted overlay. Palate sweet, silky and gourmand, bringing a freshness to the finish. Clearly surpasses its appellation status. Drink 2024-2030.
16 points."
(James Lawther MW, JR Purple Pages, June 2020)