Roc de Cambes 2015

The 2015 Roc de Cambes, the Côtes de Bourg from François Mitjavile, has a wonderful, engaging bouquet that still leans a little toward Burgundy with lovely brambly black fruit with a hint of bergamot, wonderfully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, ebullient black fruit laced with mineral and a very precise finish that will need a couple more years to fully integrate. It is a bit standoffish at the moment so be patient. Anticipated maturity: 2022 - 2035.

Roc de Cambes 2015 is medium to deep garnet in color. It delivers lifted scents of blueberry preserves, baked plums, and truffles with touches of cedar chest and violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is refreshing and elegant with loads of earthy nuances and a plush texture, finishing long and fragrant.

Tasted blind. Racy and fresh. Biscuit flavour. Sweet oak and rather luscious. (Alex Hunt MW says it’s dried flowers from a cupboard and gravy.)
Drink 2023-2032

Often close in quality to the same owner's top Saint Emilion, Le Tertre Roteboeuf. This Cotes de Bourg is head and shoulders the best wine of the appellation and very much a wine for those "in the know". A right bank wine, yet only 4 or 5 kilometres from Chateau Margaux as the crow flies. This vineyard is a south facing slope with well ventilated vines. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines here are over 50 years old. The blend is 20% Cabernet with the rest Merlot and a touch of Malbec. Deep ruby colour with oodles of black forest fruits, sweet vanilla and kirsch on the nose. The palate is as intense as the nose is aromatic, with an explosion of juicy, ripe, opulent black fruit and a kaliedoscopic array of sweet and savoury spices from vanilla to nutmeg and cumin. The tannins are plentiful but only serve to add further soft and silky volume to this already full bodied wine. The intensity and concentration are outstanding, but the retention of mineral tension further elevates this wine. Roc de Cambes once again defies its appellation with its quality. Outstanding.

Sweet fruit ripe fruit the nose has a rich mix of flavours the palate sweet supple with fine tannins. The richness and sweetness is balanced by lighter fresher bramble there is flesh yet freshness, richness not opulence the back palate lighter the finish long and elegant. 2022-36

François Mitjavile is not afraid of ripeness in his wines - an effect exaggerated by the circuslike
lay of the land - and this is correspondingly soft, spicy and jammy. The tannins are finely
wrought here, the oak is savoury-sweet, the alcohol warming on the palate. Drink: 2020-26

Two shades darker than Domaine de Cambes, and with few of the wilder notes from l’Aurage, this is a honed and distinguished
wine with tempered energy and tremendous concentration. The density of fruit and power is sensational and
it is already, seemingly, sexy, bright and pure. This is a stunning Roc de Cambes and it is perfectly balanced with juicy raspberry, damson and blueberry notes appearing among the darker tones. Relatively forward and already flattering to
deceive I expect it will live for an age but it is very attractive already! There is a lovely, bright pinch of mint on the finish,
too which distracts the palate from the fit tannins.