Domaine De Cambes 1999

Francois Mitjavile has set new standards for contemporary Côtes de Bourg, so he has also raised the bar for the basic Bordeaux appellation with the Domaine de Cambes that he makes from the vines at the base of the slope here. All his wines have the added advantage of being delicious to drink in their extreme youth as well as in their full maturity, and it is obvious that he is extraordinarily successful in those vintages that are generally perceived to be rather modest. Also the maker of both Tertre Rôteboeuf initially, then later at Roc de Cambes, Francois Mitjavile has raised the quality of the wine from mediocrity to the highest level of excellence.
This has not been achieved by any wizardry in the cellar, but rather by an exceptional level of competence and a very particular attention to detail in the actual vineyard. His wines achieve their effect not by over-extraction, but through balance and refinement, preserving the essential character of their terroir while simultaneously emphasising, almost to the point of exaggeration, the individuality of each different vintage. Indeed they are a reminder of the fact that two Bordeaux vintages are never quite identical. Roc de Cambes has a privileged site, second to none in the Côtes de Bourg. Competent tasters often rate its wine on a par with Tertre Rôteboeuf with reason. It is an accident of history that allows most of the wine of St. Émilion to command higher prices than those of Bourg, but many of its wines are inferior.