Vivens

Product Description

The second wine of Château Durfont Vivens from a second growth estate in Margaux.

In the 12th century, the powerful Durfort de Duras family founded a stronghold. They remained the owners of chateau Durfort Vivens until the 19th century and in 1855 Durfort-Vivens received the title of second growth wine in the Medoc. In 1937 the vineyard was taken over by the Châteaux Margaux Company, whose main shareholders were the Lurton Family. In 1961 Lucien Lurton bought and restored this exceptional vineyard and in 1992, his son Gonzague Lurton inherited the property and still continues to be at the head of it.

Gonzague has renovated the winery while introducing organic farming to the vineyard. Vivens expresses the fresh and voluptuous personality of Margaux.

Region/Terroir:  Médoc Margaux

Grapes :   Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Merlot (15%).

Alcohol:   14%  VOL

Soil:  Hilltops made up of deep, particularly poor gravel (deep quaternary gravel).

Wine making:  Vivens is aged 15% in new oak barrels and 85% in one-year-old barrels for 15-18 months.

Cellaring potential:   Will repay cellaring over 10 years or more, however drinking so well now, why wait?

Our Tasting notes :  Deep purple colour. Lovely nose of red fruits and some cigar box notes. Delicious, powerful yet soft on the palate, typical of the appellation Margaux. Layered, complex and very satisfying.

This wine has been independantly reviewed by Australian wine writer Sean Mitchell in the Grape Observer in October 2012. "Second labels of the grand estates are not usually easy to come by in Australia, but they are frequently very good value (and drinking) and I think it's great that DiscoverVin are importing a few now into Australia. The "Vivens" here is from the 2007 vintage, a tough vintage for the left bank in Bordeaux that I have generally found has produced light and herbal wines. However, happily, this wine joins the few I've tasted that have overcome the vintage to produce a good and interesting wine. A medium(+) intensity expression of ruby in the glass, the Vivens opens to clean aromatics of blackcurrants, earth, cloves and dried herbs. The palate has medium length, medium acidity, light tannins and flavours of blackcurrants, cloves and green peppercorns. This balanced wine presents itself as the sort of wine, and Margaux, I like drinking. It can be consumed now, or over the next few years. A good wine that is recommended. Good"

Gary Walsh www.winefront.com.au : "Leaf and mint, pencil, black fruit and a touch of caramel. Medium bodied, showing some bottle developed complexity, fresh acidity and firmish gravelly tannin. Not deep but a good drink – you know, a pleasant claret and all that. Liked it."

This is a great good value way to experince the plushness, power and drinkability of Margaux.

Product Code: 10068