We host many dinners, but Justerini & Brooks's private dining room in St. James's hosted what proved to be a very rare one on Wednesday night. Francois Mitjavile, the owner of the iconic Bordeaux estates of Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes, made a special visit to London to showcase his wines to a group of J&B customers.
For those who haven't watched our video blogs, or visited his estate themselves, Francois is quite the fascinating orator. He spoke about his passionate approach and philosophy to wine. His utter meticulousness and attention to detail in the vineyards, but equally his determination to ultimately let the vintage and his terroirs dictate the character of wine, not a winemaker.
For those who haven't watched our video blogs, or visited his estate themselves, Francois is quite the fascinating orator. He spoke about his passionate approach and philosophy to wine. His utter meticulousness and attention to detail in the vineyards, but equally his determination to ultimately let the vintage and his terroirs dictate the character of wine, not a winemaker.
We started in the cellars, tasting the barrel samples of 2011 and 2012. These were sumptuous wines; the '12s showing a beautiful silky, almost Burgundian feel to them, and the '11s, with that extra year in barrel, refined and harmonious.
Over dinner we drank eight wines going back from 2006 to 1989. There is no other estate in Bordeaux that produces wines of this seductive beauty. There is almost a Richebourg-like thrill to them. A visceral intensity that is deeply moreish. These are honest wines; true to their vintage, hedonistic and complex in style.
And what is most impressive is how Roc de Cambes presents, even when in such illustrious company as with Tertre Roteboeuf. Last night's dinner showed that it is quite easily without peer in its appellation, and should deservedly be called great.
- Chadwick Delaney, Managing Director
