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History
The history of Durfort-Vivens stretches back as far as the 12th Century, when a property was first established here by the Durfort de Duras family. The Duras descendents held the seat for seven centuries, during which time they held great influence in the region，- either directly or by marriage – contributed to the rise and later to the consecration of the great Medoc wines, owning not only this chateau but also nearby Chateau La Mothe, now more commonly known as Chateau Margaux.In 1775, during his visit to Bordeaux, Thomas Jefferson noted down the quality of the Durfort wines, placing them directly after Lafite, Haut brion and Margaux. In 1824, it was purchased by Monsieur de Vivens and the chateau was renamed Durfort-Vivens, and the estate was still in the ownership of the Vivens family when it was ranked as one of the five Margaux deuxièmes crus in the 1855 classification, drawn up for the Exposition Universelle de Paris, at the request of Emperor Napoleon III, by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce. The passage of the 20th Century saw several more changes of ownership, with Durfort-Vivens first passing through the hands of the Bordeaux négociants- Messrs Richier and de La Mare，before its purchase by the Lurton family, major shareholders of Chateau Margaux. The wine was in fact made at Margaux, which lies adjacent to the Durfort-Vivens vineyards, until Lucien Lurton, who also owned Brane-Cantenac, took full control of Durfort-Vivens in 1961. His passion and great knowledge of the viticultural land helped to put the vineyard back on its feet. Today the property remains in the hands of the Lurton family, who run a number of Bordeaux chateaux including Brane-Cantenac and Climens. Lucien’s son Gonzague Lurton left his job in banking to take on the role of manager at Durfort-Vivens in 1992 when Lucien divided his estates between his children, a process that also saw Lucien's other son, Henri, take over at Brane-Cantenac.This may have been a crucial factor in the continuing development of this property, as Gonzague went on to construct a new chai and also to install new wooden and cement fermentation vats with temperature control in 1995 and 1996. These are crucial developments if the wines are to reach the standards expected of today's markets and consumers. Since the 2002 vintage, most of the grapes are vinified in small wood and cement tanks which help to optimise the temperature control during the vinification process and to obtain a particularly fine selection of parcels. Without adopting new processes, he still continues to produce the best quality wines from this superb soil.The Durfort-Vivens vineyards comprise 32 hectares in all, on the typical gravelly soils of Margaux which date from the Quaternary period. Planting density is 6666 vines/ha, and Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, accounting for 70% of the vineyard, in keeping with that at other properties in Margaux. The remainder is 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, and yields are typically 45 hl/ha. Harvest is by hand, and the subsequent vinification is temperature controlled, as mentioned above, utilising a mixture of vat materials, including cement, wood and stainless steel. Subsequently the wine goes into barriques of which 40% are new each year.Gonzague Lurton has a direct hand in the winemaking, along with oenologists Yves Glories and Jacques Boissenot. The grand vin is Chateau Durfort-Vivens. The second wine was Domaine de Cure-Bourse, but rejected fruit now goes into Segond de Durfort and Relais de Durfort. More recent vintages have seen the introduction of a new label, Vivens Rouge.
Nowadays’s Owner: Gonzague Lurton
Technique Information
Location: Situated in the district of Margaux, Cantenac and Soussans
Appellation: Appellation Margaux Controlee
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Lascombes (2nd Growth of Margaux in1855)
Acreage: 32 ha.
Soil: Deep gravelly soil from the quaternary (Günz and Mindel)
Grape Varieties: 70% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernat-Franc.
Average age of vines: 25 years
Cultivation Density: 6,666 vines/ha.
Viticulture: Reasoned Agriculture, low yield (45 hectolitres per hectare), parcel selection
Winemaking: Adapted vinification (small tanks, long maceration, and variable maturing in barrels according to the quality of tannins). Harvest is by hand, and the subsequent vinification is temperature controlled, as mentioned above, utilizing a mixture of vat materials, including cement, wood and stainless steel (capacity 210, 160, 150, 120, 100, 80, 60 hl). Subsequently the wine goes into Bordeaux barrels (fine-grained peduncular oak from the centre of France) of which 40% are new each year.
Yield: 45hl/ha
Brands:
Chateau Durfort-Vivens(First Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Segond de Durfort(Second Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Relais de Durfort(Second Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Vivens Rouge(New Label)(A.O.C. Margaux)
Annually Production: 6,000 to 8,000 cases
Character:
Chateau Durfort-Vivens (First Label): This rich soil facilitates the early maturity of the Cabernet-Sauvignon, giving delicate and silky tannins: A touch of elegance typical of the top growth wines from Margaux. All this produces, in a very precise and rigorous touch, a fine and firm deep tannic wine where one can frequently find the fragrance of violet, black cherry and truffle.
Best Vintages: Chateau Durfort-Vivens (First Label): 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2005
Awards: 2nd Grand Cru Classe in 1855 Margaux.
Website: http://www.durfort-vivens.com/
Serving Suggestion
Cellar Humidity and Temperature: 75-85%, 15℃
Serving Temperature: 18℃
Optimum Drinking and Aging Potential: 10 years,14 to 15 years.
Food match:
Chateau Durfort-Vivens(First Label):
Roastead duck, Game, Partridge and feathered games, Spare ribs, Cheese (Sanit Nectaire, Edam, Gouda). Excellent with beef, lamb, grilled veal, game such as pheasant and poultry such as turkey. The wine pairs well with food made with rich sauces.
Relais de Durfort (Second Label):
Pair with red meat, Lamprey of Bordeaux, roast lamb (leg, shoulder), game birds, and cheese.
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