Château Durfort-Vivens
Margaux Cru Classé en 1855 Red Bordeaux Blend
Margaux, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
The 2019 Durfort-Vivens was matured in two-thirds new oak barrels and one-third in amphorae. Plush on the nose with blueberry and violet scents, this is Margaux in style though much tighter than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine delineation and poise. It's pretty delineated towards the finish that shows more mineralité than previous vintages. There is an appealing linearity here, a trait that Gonzague Lurton seeks in his wines. Excellent. Tasted at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
The 2019 Durfort-Vivens was matured in two-thirds new oak barrels and one-third in amphorae. Plush on the nose with blueberry and violet scents, this is Margaux in style though much tighter than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine delineation and poise. It's pretty delineated towards the finish that shows more mineralité than previous vintages. There is an appealing linearity here, a trait that Gonzague Lurton seeks in his wines. Excellent. Tasted at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
The 2015 Durfort-Vivens has a perfumed bouquet with more ripeness and perfume than the previous vintage. Buoyant red berry fruit, blueberry and a touch of violet, there is perhaps more Margaux-like than the 2014. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy with a fine acidity, a touch of white pepper and clove towards the finish and a hint of espresso on the aftertaste. This is a superb Durfort Vivens, arguably the finest up to that point. Tasted twice, both at the château and at Jascott's Bordeaux tasting in London. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
The 2015 Durfort-Vivens has a perfumed bouquet with more ripeness and perfume than the previous vintage. Buoyant red berry fruit, blueberry and a touch of violet, there is perhaps more Margaux-like than the 2014. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy with a fine acidity, a touch of white pepper and clove towards the finish and a hint of espresso on the aftertaste. This is a superb Durfort Vivens, arguably the finest up to that point. Tasted twice, both at the château and at Jascott's Bordeaux tasting in London. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
The 2014 Durfort-Vivens was the first vintage with 50mg of SO2. It offers brambly red fruit on the nose with raspberry, wilted rose petals and light pencil-shaving aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe and fleshy, pliant in the mouth and nicely balanced with a gentle grip. It's linear on the finish with a touch of sour cherry. This has fine precision on the finish, and it should drink well for the following ten years. Tasted at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
The 2014 Durfort-Vivens was the first vintage with 50mg of SO2. It offers brambly red fruit on the nose with raspberry, wilted rose petals and light pencil-shaving aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, ripe and fleshy, pliant in the mouth and nicely balanced with a gentle grip. It's linear on the finish with a touch of sour cherry. This has fine precision on the finish, and it should drink well for the following ten years. Tasted at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
Good Margaux aroma off the bat. Some va, iron and bilberry, layered on heaps of cassis and violet. Palate has a nice sweet and sour quality but falls down by comparison to the nose; the arc is just a bit flat.
Good Margaux aroma off the bat. Some va, iron and bilberry, layered on heaps of cassis and violet. Palate has a nice sweet and sour quality but falls down by comparison to the nose; the arc is just a bit flat.
Jan 9th, 2023
2020 vintage. PNP against my own notes 10.02.24 (9.4) but too dayum lazy tonight. Super intense with waves of dark fruit aboard. Just needed to crack something decent for the lady tonite without decanting or going too deep into other selections. This lost the coin toss and got crushed within 1.5 hours. Still, showing great but tasting like a final exam. Try as you may to avoid the aforementioned scenario if at all possible. 12.30.24
2020 vintage. PNP against my own notes 10.02.24 (9.4) but too dayum lazy tonight. Super intense with waves of dark fruit aboard. Just needed to crack something decent for the lady tonite without decanting or going too deep into other selections. This lost the coin toss and got crushed within 1.5 hours. Still, showing great but tasting like a final exam. Try as you may to avoid the aforementioned scenario if at all possible. 12.30.24
Dec 31st, 20242020 vintage. Opened and tasted over the course of an hour. Medium/medium heavy body. Nose both riper and bigger than last handful of vintages. Salinity, Graham cracker, hibiscus, camphor and blueberry all prominent up front. Finely-grained tannins afoot and started to relax the defenses after approx a half hour after opening. Serious and well made. Not a casual Margaux to attempt a PNP with. 10.02.24.
2020 vintage. Opened and tasted over the course of an hour. Medium/medium heavy body. Nose both riper and bigger than last handful of vintages. Salinity, Graham cracker, hibiscus, camphor and blueberry all prominent up front. Finely-grained tannins afoot and started to relax the defenses after approx a half hour after opening. Serious and well made. Not a casual Margaux to attempt a PNP with. 10.02.24.
Oct 3rd, 2024
2019 vintage. Classic Margaux with the appeal and denial in the same taste. Too soon yet too late. Light-medium/medium body with plenty of structure along with more fruit than the epic 2017 but less fruit than the great follow up-2018. Price rose about 15% but still worth it. Will trace a case and the corresponding development. 6.12.24.
2019 vintage. Classic Margaux with the appeal and denial in the same taste. Too soon yet too late. Light-medium/medium body with plenty of structure along with more fruit than the epic 2017 but less fruit than the great follow up-2018. Price rose about 15% but still worth it. Will trace a case and the corresponding development. 6.12.24.
Jun 12th, 20242018 vintage. Last tasted 3.7.22. Classic structure and fruit balance. Impressive finishing length. A Margaux fave, especially at the current going rate. Light-medium body. Carry that weight and same as it ever was.
2018 vintage. Last tasted 3.7.22. Classic structure and fruit balance. Impressive finishing length. A Margaux fave, especially at the current going rate. Light-medium body. Carry that weight and same as it ever was.
Nov 19th, 20222017 vintage. A little leaner than previous visit in September 2021. No less delicious tho.
2017 vintage. A little leaner than previous visit in September 2021. No less delicious tho.
Apr 13th, 2022