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Chateau Durfort Vivens

The History :

In the 12th century, the powerful Durfort de Duras family founded a stronghold. They remained the owners until the 19th century. Over the centuries, the family - either directly or by marriage – contributed to the rise and later to the consecration of the great Medoc wines, through their properties Durfort and Lamothe, presently 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. His opinion was sanctioned by the 1855 classification when Durfort Vivens received the title of second top growth wine in the Medoc. 

After remaining in the Durfort family and their descendants for many years, the vineyard was taken over by the Bordeaux negociants’ Messrs Richier and de La Mare . It has not changed since.

The vineyard was taken over in 1937 by the Château Margaux Company having the Lurton family as one of the main shareholders.

 The wine was made at Chateaux margaux until 1961 when Lucien Lurton, who was already the owner of Chateau Brane-Cantenac, took it over. His passion and great knowledge of the viticultural land helped to put the vineyard back on its feet.
 
His son, Gonzague, inherited the property in 1992 and installed a new cellar and tanks in 1995 and 1996. Since the 2002 vintage, most of the grapes are vinified in small wood and cement tanks which helps to optimize 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 soil :

 Situated in the district of Margaux, Cantenac and Soussans , the roots are planted on the 32 hectare vineyard on slopes of gravelly soil, deep and particularly poor, deposited by successive layers from the bed of the Garonne river during the Quaternary.

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.

The wine was made at Chateaux margaux until 1961 when Lucien Lurton, who was already the owner of Chateau Brane-Cantenac, took it over. His passion and great knowledge of the viticultural land helped to put the vineyard back on its feet.

His son, Gonzague, inherited the property in 1992 and installed a new cellar and tanks in 1995 and 1996. Since the 2002 vintage, most of the grapes are vinified in small wood and cement tanks which helps to optimize 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.