Philippe Cambie

Oenologue-Consultant
14, Rue de l'Eglise 84230 Chateauneuf du Pape
Tel. +33 490 835 489
Mail: philippe.cambie@free.fr
Web: http://www.philippecambie.com
Blog: http://www.philippecambie.com/blog/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philippecambie/

Philippe Cambie was born in Pezenas in Herault, where his mother's family owned some vineyards. He is so to speak born among the vines of Languedoc.
His first steps in education were not aimed directly at wine. He got some degrees from universities aimed at the food industry, Diplôme universitaire tecnique d’industrielle alimentaire and from École nationale supérieure de l’industrie agro alimentaire. During his education he had some courses and jobs in the industry for instanse in the brewery business and during the courses at the universities and these jobs he got a deep knowledge of microbiological details in a process which in some ways are similar to what is going on in the vinification process. 
Not quite satisfied with this work he decided to change direction and went to Montpellier and got a Diplôme d’ œnologue at the university there. After that he had some jobs in the wine industry - big firms.
The young Philippe Cambie was a passionate rugby player at a national level and via this sport he met many wine growers from Chateauneuf du Pape and the surrounding area (In Chateauneuf du Pape rugby is the sport for men). 
Maybe this was deciding when he in 1998 joined the oenological laboratory in Beaumes de Venise - part of ICV. In 2002 a section was established at the ICV directed to private wine growers. Here was the right platform for Philippe Cambie. He likes to have a close relation to the single producer.

Cambie presented his own wines in Copenhagen in 2011. Well, he prefered a beer for lunch instead of an about 7-years-old Danish wine (look over his shoulders). Insulting to the host country? No, just another proof of his credibility to my opinion - as a Dane.

ICV - Institut Coopératif du Vin
ICV is a big oenological association of laboratories in the Southern part of France with ten centres (loboratories) from Roussillon in the West to Brignoles in the East. The centre for the Southern Rhone is situated in Beaumes de Venise. More than 150 persons are employed in these centres, among them Philippe Cambie. About 500 wine merchants and about 1000 private producers use the laboratoires for analyses and get advise from the oenologs of ICV.

Cambie about his way of working with the winegrovers
”Ma philosophie et mon mode de fonctionnement vont ensemble; tout passe par beaucoup d’échange entre les vignerons et moi-même: quel sont leur envies, leurs espoirs, leurs buts, leurs moyens .
Nous étudions ensemble le potentiel de leur terroir (dans le cas ou les gens ne le maîtriserais pas a 100%) mon mode de fonctionnement change du tout au tout en fonction des vignerons bien sur.
Je pense que mon métier est un métier d’écoute et d’échange pour accompagner les vignerons dans leur démarche de révélation de leur terroir.
Tous démarre a la vigne, sans grand raisins les plus sain possible rien n’est possible, c’est pour cela que j’ai un gros faible pour l’agriculture biologique et qu’un grosse majorité des domaines avec qui je travaille vont dans cette direction.
Je veux que tous les vins soit l’expression de leur terroir. Et surtout ne se ressemble en aucun point, leur seul ressemblance sera leur belle qualité.”

In English something like this:
My philosophy and my operating mode work well congruent. Everything is done under considerable exchange of views between the producer and me, what are their desires, their hopes, their goals, their means.
Together we study the potential of their soil and if the producer doesn't agree or understand completely he/her may take on my methods little by little.
I think that my task is a task of listening and together with the wine growers develop the potential of his/hers possibilities.
All starts with large and healthy grapes, and they are the basis of making good wine. Therfore my advice will be to use biological methods in the vinyards and a large majority of the domains with which I work are moving in that direction.
I want all the wines to express the soil they come from. The wines from different producers should not be alike, their only uniformity should be their beautiful quality.

Philippe Cambie's clients

Producers of Chateauneuf du Pape
Domaine Giraud since 1998
Domaine de Villeneuve since 1999
Les Cailloux since 1999
Clos du Mont Olivet since 1999
Domaine Jean Royer since 2000
Domaine Patrice Magni since 2000
Domaine de Saint-Paul since 2000
Domaine du Grand Tinel since 2000
Chateau de la Font du Loup since 2000 
Domaine Olivier Hillaire since 2000
Clos du Caillou since 2001
Clos Saint Jean since 2002
Domaine Porte Rouge since 2003
Chateau de Vaudieu since 2003
Le Vieux Donjon since 2003

Claire (Michel) Fabre, Le Vieux Donjon and Philippe

Domaine Barville since 2006 
Domaine Bosquet des Papes since 2006
Domaine des Senechaux since 2006
Domaine Duseigneur since 2007
Domaine la Consonniere since 2007 
Chateau Cabrieres since 2010
Vignobles Mayard since 2011
Chateau Gigognan since 2011
Domaine de la Charbonnière
Domaine l'Abbé Dîne

Other producers from Rhone
Domaine Boisson (Cairanne) since 1998
Domaine Cros de Romet (Cairanne) since 1998
Domaine la Garrigue (Cairanne) since 1998
Domaine des Esvaravailles (Rasteau) since 1999
Domaine Grand Nicolet (Rasteau) since 1999
L'Oratoire Saint Martin (Cairanne) side 2000
Domaine de la Bastadonne (Ventoux) since 2000
Domaine de Marotte (Ventoux) since 2000
Domaine Coteaux des Travers (Rasteau) since 2000
Vignoble Charles Tyrand (Puyméras) since 2001
Domaine Dionysos (Cairanne) since 2001
Domaine la Collière (Rasteau) since 2002    
Domaine les Aphillanthes (Plan de Dieu) since 2004
Domaine des Bosquets (Gigondas) since 2004
La Gramière (No appellation) since 2008
Domaine de Font Croze (Rasteau) since 2008 (Go to the top and to the right,)

Chateau Bizard (Grignan-les-Adhémar) since 2009
Romain Roche (Cairanne) since 2009
Domaine Rouvre St Leger (Laudun) since 2008
Domaine Galuval (Cairanne) since 2009 avec Thomas Oui
Domaine Longue Toque (Gigondas)
Domaine des Florets (Gigondas) since 2010
Chateau Juvenal (Ventoux) since 2011
Domaine Maby (Lirac/Tavel) since 2011
Mas des Volques (Duché d'Uzès)
Domaine Clos du Palay (Seguret) since 2015

Producer in Languedoc
Chateau Puech Haut since 2009

Producer in Macedonia
Tikves Winery AD Skopje since 2009

Together with Michel Tardieu Philippe Cambie is advisor for
Michel et Bastien Tardieu Lourmarin since 2000
Bodega Mas Alta, Priorat, Spain since 2004
Chateau Paradis, Coteaux Aix en Provence since 2005
Chateau Castigno, Saint-Chinien, Languedoc-Roussillon since 2006.


When Jeb Dunnock visits a client Philippe Cambie must of course be present. Here during a visit at Chateau de la Font du Loup. The lady is the owner Anne Charlotte Melia Bachas. A vertical tasting with quite some vintages.
Philippe is regarded by clients as something close to a beloved family member.
It's no secret - if you follow Philippe on facebook - that he is very fond of good food. Therefore he can also count chefs in the area for good friends who usually do their best to serve perfect and large portions when Philippe is visiting. They get good advertisement from his beautifull pictures on social medias

Domaine de Calendal
In 2004 Philippe Cambie purchased a parcel of 1,5 ha. at Plan de Dieu with old and good vines. The yield from here is from vintage 2006 vinified at Domaine des Escaravailles in Roaix by Cambie's friend from the years at the wine university in Montpellier, Gilles Ferrand. Since harvest 2008 Cambie has also been in possession of a neighbouring parcel of 3 ha. also with old vines.
Probably no one will dispute that Domaine de Calendal is without competion is the best wine from the appellation Cotes du Rhone Village Plan de Dieu

Gilles Ferrand and Philippe Cambie

Vinergie
Philippe Cambie was advisor for Philippe du Roy de Blicquy, who in 1990 purchaced Domaine de Villeneuve, and in a couple of years he managed to make eccoing wines from the disrepaired vineyards at the small domain. Furthermore he established a negociant business, Les Grandes Vignes du Roy to market his own and his partners wines labelled with the name of the suppliers or eventually by the name Les Grandes Vignes du Roy. 
This business is today managed by the agent firm Vinergie. Philippe Cambie is a part of this firm which sell wines from domains, using Cambie as oenological advisor: Domaine de Villeneuve, Domaine Patrice Magni, Domaine des Esvaravailles and Domaine Grand Nicolet.

Les Halos de Jupiter
A negociant project in partnership with Michel Gassier from  Chateau de Nages has been established. The wines are made in the cellars of the producers.
They are marketed by Michel Gassier - only outside France.

Michel Gassier and Philippe Cambie

Tenet Wines
This project is a collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State US, represented by this domain's chef winemaker Bob Bertheau, and Michel Gassier / Philippe Cambie from Rhone. The project aims to identify the best methods of cultivation, terroirs and vinefication methods for the grape Syrah in Washington. Not to make a Syrah wine similiar to a wine from Rhone but in order to develop the best possible Syrah wine in Washington State.

GFV Les Fils d'Alcmene
This company (Groupement Foncier Viticole) was created in 2013 together with another of Philippe Cambie's good friends, Jean-Marie Royer, Domaine Jean Royer. It is a company where anyone can contribute with one or more shares of € 3,000. The means will be used to hire vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape for periods of 18 years. (Normal rental period in Rhone). The profit is an annual box of good wine made from grapes from the rented vineyards
Alcmene was the mother of the Greek God Herakles.


Jean-Marie Royer. His (rented) cellar is situated near the rugby-stadion in Chateauneuf du Pape. Note the prize cups. Royer's cellar has been used as a clubhouse where players after a fight could evaluate the match and enjoy a glass of wine or maybe even a beer? Oh yes, we all looked younger in 2008.