Roc de Cambes 2017

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Roc de Cambes 2017

Tasting

Color

The color shows a deep garnet hue with purple highlights, with moderate opacity that reflects fine phenolic concentration while retaining a translucent elegance.

Nose

The bouquet opens with intense aromas of ripe black fruit, led by blackcurrant, wild blackberry and fully ripe plum. Secondary spicy notes gradually emerge, with pronounced hints of licorice and dried herbs. The nose also reveals smoky, vegetal nuances, alongside delicately integrated notes of tobacco and vanilla.

Palate

On the palate, the wine displays a medium-to-full body, offering fine substance without excessive heaviness. The tannic structure is the standout feature of this vintage, with silky, refined tannins that integrate harmoniously into the whole. The mid-palate stands out for its creamy texture and fruity density. The balance between ripeness and freshness defines the tasting experience. The finish lingers at length, with persistent fruit impressions accompanied by subtle spicy, peppery notes.

Food and wine pairings

This Château Roc de Cambes 2017 is an ideal match for white-meat poultry prepared with elaborate sauces. It pairs perfectly with a venison steak with red fruit sauce, where its black fruit aromas and spicy notes echo the flavors of game. Noble offal such as sweetbreads with a woodland mushroom sauce also makes a remarkable pairing. Aged cheeses with intense aromatic profiles complete this wine harmoniously.

Serving and cellaring

Château Roc de Cambes 2017 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This wine can be cellared until around 2025, or even beyond under good storage conditions, as its concentration and tannic structure allow it to develop greater complexity over time.

An exceptional Côtes de Bourg by François Mitjavile

The estate

François Mitjavile acquired Château Roc de Cambes in 1988, transforming this estate from the Côtes de Bourg appellation into an essential benchmark. Located a few hundred meters from the citadel of Bourg-sur-Gironde, on the edge of the Gironde estuary, the estate covers twelve hectares of vines. The property retains a cellar dating back to the fourteenth century, a testament to its centuries-old winegrowing heritage. Today, Nina Mitjavile, François’s daughter, has overseen the estate’s day-to-day operations for more than a decade. Château Roc de Cambes is recognized as the most accomplished expression of the Côtes de Bourg appellation, regularly rivaling grands crus classés from Saint-Émilion in blind tastings. The estate is also owned by François Mitjavile, the renowned proprietor of Château Tertre Roteboeuf in Saint-Émilion.

The vineyard

The Château Roc de Cambes vineyard occupies an exceptional geographical position within the Côtes de Bourg appellation, unfolding like an amphitheater on south to south-west facing hillsides that slope down toward the Gironde. This optimal exposure ensures maximum sunshine and ideal ripening conditions. The immediate proximity of the estuary exerts a decisive moderating climatic influence, reducing temperature swings and protecting the vineyard from spring frosts. Summer sea breezes bring beneficial freshness that preserves the grapes’ acidity while allowing optimal phenolic ripeness. The clay-limestone soils, composed of clay and limestone across sloping terrain, show similarities with those of Château Tertre Roteboeuf. The grape varieties consist of 75 to 80% merlot, 15 to 20% cabernet sauvignon, and the remaining 5% malbec. The vines have a remarkable average age of forty-five to fifty years, with some merlot parcels even exceeding fifty years.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in Bordeaux proved complex, with changeable weather conditions that produced differing ripeness results depending on regions and altitude. The microclimatic advantages of Château Roc de Cambes’ amphitheater hillside were particularly evident in this vintage, with its elevated southern exposure and the moderation provided by the Gironde allowing greater ripeness to be achieved. In 2017, the vineyard did not experience significant frost pressure, thanks to its sheltered exposure and the regulating effect of the nearby water.

Winemaking and aging

Winemaking at Château Roc de Cambes 2017 follows deliberately traditional methods, favoring the use of concrete vats over stainless steel. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place in these concrete vessels, allowing prolonged contact between the evolving wine and the solid parts. Aging lasts eighteen to twenty-four months in barrels sourced exclusively from Radoux cooperage, ensuring stylistic consistency. The proportion of new oak varies depending on the vintage, generally reaching fifty percent. During maturation, the wine benefits from controlled exposure to oxygen through various mechanisms including the natural permeability of staves, micro-oxygenation techniques, and regular rackings. The winemaking philosophy favors restraint and precision, avoiding interventions likely to artificially alter the fruit’s natural expression.

Grape varieties

Merlot, cabernet sauvignon and malbec.