Philippe Cambie Dies

I just read this. Can anyone confirm?

Confirmed by his Niece on his FaceBook page.


These photos are from Hospice du Rhone 2008 & 2012

I just had one of his heavy duty cuvees (Cuvee Emile Paul) from Bressy Masson a few weeks ago, and it was as one would expect from his vision. I grieve his loss as a torrent of 16% abv tears pour down.

He was a very nice man. I know some didn’t like the heaviness of the wines that he helped to make but the guy was ultrabright and had a vision about the wines he wanted to make. RIP.

I don’t know him except from seminars and tastings. He always had a gentle, calm manner and was quite soft-spoken. Michel Gassier worked with Philippe Cambie for something like 15 years. As he tells the story, Cambie didn’t try to make the Gassier wines in his style, rather started with the question “what are the wines you want to make?” and helped him make wines in that style. To me, the Gassier style emphasizes freshness and balance in a warm climate, so this story rings true to me.

A friend knows Philippe well and is part of the Downstream project, and is in awe of Philippe’s palate and ability to assemble blends. Philippe creates the blend for Downstream (from dozens of lots and maybe five varieties) with a rather unique process. Rather than creating a large number of trial blends, he tastes through the components, decides on the blend, and that’s that.

It’s undeniable that he had a tremendous impact in wine, especially Chateauneuf du Pape. Many of his wines are heavy for my palate, although I don’t think it’s true that they’re all the same, just that he was helping to create wines that are highly popular with many consumers who have different palates. His passing is certainly a profound loss to the wine community.

-Al

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By sheer coincidence, I had opened a 2006 Clos Saint Jean Deus Ex Machina. Darker fruited, as one would expect from a mourvedre-heavy blend, but it is neither heavy nor rich, and it has typical Chateauneuf flavors in spades. It does have a lot of tannin. The wine shut down last night after decanting for an hour (the initial glass I poured before decanting was the best). Tonight it is more open, with bright fruit, charcoal and slightly bitter green herbs, but still very dry. I will raise my glass in honor.

Wow…we were just drinking this last night. RIP

Ate there any reports of how he died or what he died from? He was always a larger than life but humble presence at HdR. RIP . . .

Very sad to see…I never found the wines he helped make or made to be heavy, hot, or plodding unless a vintage drove it to that and even in ripe vintages I found most wines I tried to have good to very good freshness and acidity.

I missed being able to do a photoshoot with Philippe and Adam for Beau Marchais by a few days in the early part of COVID as he needed to return to France. I was looking forward to getting that done soon. So sorry for those who were close to him and admired his work.

He was a very kind an passionate man, he will be missed - much to early to go. May he rest in peace.

Sorry to hear this. He was a very nice man. But his diet…ai yi yi! I remember one dinner in NYC where I had trouble finishing my steak and asked for a doggie bag while Philippe ate 2 whole steaks.

He had a very good appetite. A true Gourmand.

I would like to hear more from those he worked with and how he improved the production of their wines. Undoubtedly there’s a lot to be said about his contributions beyond the consumer/critic criticisms one hears.

Hopefully Adam Lee or Justin Smith will pop on here at some time to shed some light on this . . .

Cheers

I am sending this out - or some version of it - soon to the Beau Marchais mailing list:

It is with a very heavy heart that I announce the death of my partner in Beau Marchais Winery, Philippe Cambie.

It was the summer of 2018 when I (along with my best friend Mike Officer of Carlisle Winery) was invited to have dinner with Philippe in his home. In Chateauneuf-du-Pape. During that meal Philippe remarked, “I have always dreamed of making Pinot Noir.” From that one line a partnership and a winery were born.

Philippe loved wine – all wines of all types that he found to be well made. And he loved food. He was an extraordinary chef. I have had several remarkable meals sitting around his kitchen table, including a simple but truly incredible beef with fresh truffles dish this past June.

Philippe’s brilliance as a winemaker was indisputable. He was named Robert Parker’s Oenologist of the Year in 2010. The great bottles that he either made or consulted on and the almost innumerable 100-point ratings from various critics are all a testament to his winemaking skills.

But there is something else that is – in my mind at least – equally indisputable. Philippe was an even better person than winemaker. Philippe was in California in February of 2020 and we were scheduled to blend the 2019 Beau Marchias Pinot Noirs. I had just returned from a trip to Texas to see my Mom in her nursing home, and I received word that she had passed. Philippe was insistent that we postpone the blending, that I rush back to Texas, and reminding me that family was everything. But I was at peace and knew there was no need for me to return immediately and so we spent the next few days blending and discussing the path forward for Beau Marchais. He never failed to ask me – several times a day – if I was okay to go on.
Some months later I received a phone call from Philippe. I expected to him to want to talk about the progress of the wines or the upcoming growing season. Instead, he wanted to talk about how I dealt with my Mom’s aging, especially living far away from her. He was in a similar situation with his Mom and simply wanted some encouraging words and to share some emotions.

I am sure many of you are wondering where this leaves Beau Marchais Winery going forward. I do not know that yet. I’ve been in touch with his family but now isn’t the time to figure out the future. We have the wines and memories we made together and that is enough for the moment.

I once read an interview with Philippe where he was asked, “What do you see when you look in the mirror.” He responded by saying, “Someone who has aged without noticing it but who still believes he is a youthful student and a good guy who keeps things simple and is friendly.”

Philippe was all these things and so much more. He was a true epicure and a brilliant winemaker.

Most of all he was my friend and I miss him already.

Please raise a truly great glass of wine in honor of Philippe tonight.

Those are some very nice words. He sounds like he was a great man and a better friend. I’m sorry for your loss.

Adam, thank you for that touching and personal tribute.

Anyone, do you know if he worked with Janasse? I’m trying to find something mature and in the accessible part of my cellar to open, and that’s one I found.

I don’t believe so. Here is a link with the wines he’s consulted on