Château Durfort-Vivens

History

Château Durfort-Vivens has a long history behind it, wonderful as it is. As early as the 14th century, the first traces of it can be found with the mention of a powerful family in the surrounding area. This family, highly respected in the Agenais region (formerly part of the historic province of Gascony), decided to settle in Margaux and found its own château - the arrival of the Durfort de Duras. Over the following centuries, she reigned supreme over the estate, establishing the reputation that still clings to it today: an estate of excellence.

In the 18th century, the arrival of the Comte de Montalembert marked a turning point. He inherited the estate and passed it on to his nephew, none other than Robert Adrien Labat de Vivens. In 1824, the latter added his name to that of the Durfort de Duras family. From then on, the estate was called Durfort-Vivens, and became even more like the one we know today.

In 1844, the proof of its success lay in a higher price than any other Margaux (with the exception of the eponymous Château). Eleven years later, the estate was listed in the 1855 classification as a Second Cru Classé, further underlining its noble image... This image came at a price, and the Lurton family paid it in 1937, when they acquired a shareholding in Château Margaux.

Since 1992, Gonzague Lurton has managed the estate...

What about biodynamic viticulture?

A management system that covers 55 hectares of vines, planted with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. As you'll have gathered, the estate's specialty is Cabernet Sauvignon, which has seen its acreage increase in recent years. The average age of the vines is 50 years, the right age for optimum concentration in each bunch.

But one of the key points of Château Durfort-Vivens is its ideology: biodynamic viticulture. Indeed, it was a daring gamble that Gonzague Lurton has succeeded in brilliantly, setting himself apart from other Bordeaux estates. For him, the important thing is to get back to basics and magnify his terroir, composed of sand and clay. Note that the estate has become the first classified growth in the Médoc to be certified by Demeter (2016), the biodynamic label.

In order to produce vintages of consistently high quality, the estate boasts technical resources worthy of its renown. Wooden, stainless steel and cement vats, all of which have a different impact on the wines' musts, as well as oak barrels renewed every year (around 40% of them) and amphorae. Naturally, Château Durfort-Vivens appreciates each vintage and adapts all its oenological operations and ageing methods accordingly. Our goal? To leave you speechless...