CHATEAU DURFORT-VIVENS 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Margaux 2018 Bottle (los) - BIO/ORG

Description

Château Durfort-Vivens 2018 is a remarkable Second Growth wine from the Margaux appellation, celebrated for its quality and craftsmanship. This vintage boasts a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, earning impressive scores, including 96 points from James Suckling and Vinous. Suckling describes it as having blackberry and lavender aromas with well-integrated tannins that offer tension and freshness. Vinous highlights its rich, inky character and explosive concentration, showcasing flavours of blackberry jam and new leather. Decanter awarded it 92 points for its savoury profile and softness. Jancis Robinson rated it 17.5+ points, noting its impressive purity and energy. This exceptional wine is ideal for enjoyment from 2024 to 2036, showcasing the essence of the estate beautifully.

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Château Durfort-Vivens is a Second Growth estate in Margaux appellation. It is owned by Lucien Lurton. After a period of relative obscurity, Durfort-Vivens rebounded significantly with successful vintages in the 2010s and major innovations at the estate. In 2018, biodynamic farming practices led to an extremely low yield wine which was a game-changer for the estate in terms of quality and critical acclaim. That special vintage was hailed by the famed French wine critics, Bettane & Desseauve predicted their grand vin to be a, “future cult wine.” Since 2018, the loyal and devoted following of the estate continues to grow with each passing vintage. Due to their painstaking obsession with terroir, constant periods of self-reflection, and unique winemaking techniques, Durfort-Vivens is a perfect example of an estate changing the tides of fortune in their favour.

Durfort-Vivens is also the first estate in all of Margaux to become 100% biodynamic which is a highly significant and rigorous process. The estate received their Demeter Certification upon completion in 2016 and have set an important example for the other estates in Margaux. Biodynamic viticulture is a holistic view of winemaking that involves zero manipulation of the wines at the estate. Many Biodynamic wineries are their own unique ecosystems, where terroir is paramount to everything else. At these wineries, one can often see cows on property to serve as organic sources of fertilizer. Certain wineries make their own teas out of plants grown on the estate, such as nettle and chamomile, to protect the vines from pests. Biodynamic viticulture also has more of an esoteric side, where harvest dates are chosen based off of the lunar calendar.

The winemaking team at Durfort-Vivien focuses on ripeness of fruit and concentration in their wines. Each bottle of Durfort-Vivens has 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Durfort-Vivens is in the midst of a renaissance; as the years progress, the wines receive more critical acclaim for each passing vintage. They are, without a doubt, one of the ones to watch.

JAMES SUCKLING 96-97 points
This is a crazy wine. Everything was done by hand, without electricity, because it was made in seven-hectoliter amphora. The grapes were hand-sorted. It’s full-bodied with tannins that are integrated so well into the wine, which gives it tension and freshness. Blackberries. Lavender. 10 hectoliters. Best Dufort ever?

VINOUS 96 points
Drinking Window 2026 - 2048
From: Bordeaux 2018: Not Back in Black (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Durfort-Vivens is a total bomb. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 exudes concentration from the very first taste. Blackberry jam, spice, lavender, cloves and new leather infuse the 2018 with layers of depth. Durfort is without question one of the most compelling wines of the vintage. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, a bit more Franc than normal because Franc proved more resistant to mildew. The 2018 was vinified entirely in amphora, with manual punchdowns. - By Antonio Galloni on March 2021

DECANTER 92 points
Tasted by: Jane Anson
(at Bordeaux, 10 Nov 2020)
Part of Best 2018 Bordeaux second wines: Re-tasted in the bottle
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2036
A doubly rare wine for Bordeaux because it has no added sulphur and is also 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in amphorae and oak barrels. It shows the savoury black fruit nuances of Cabernet, and there is a softness through the tannins. Hard to say that it has AOC Margaux typicity but it is an attractive wine and worth looking out for.

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5+ points
Dark crimson hue. Rich but lifted with lovely purity of fruit. Round, suave and gourmand on the palate but, again, pure, long and fresh. Impressive concentration. Loads of energy and drive. Peacock’s-tail finish. Promises well. (JL)