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Haut-Médoc de Durfort-Vivens (by Château Durfort-Vivens)

Bordeaux, France 2005 (750mL)
$34.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
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Alcohol
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Haut-Médoc de Durfort-Vivens (by Château Durfort-Vivens)


Château Durfort-Vivens received its name from the powerful Durfort de Duras family which arrived in Margaux in the 14th century. As you may know, Thomas Jefferson served as the United States Ambassador to France and was a renowned connoisseur of French wines. According to Jefferson’s travel diary, he ranked ranked Dufort-Vivens directly after Châteaux Lafite, Latour and Margaux. The 1855 Bordeaux Classification, which happened much later, confirmed his opinion, ranking the wine as a 2nd Growth. The Lurton family owns this historic property today and initially became involved almost a 80 years ago. Fast forward to today, Gonzague Lurton runs the estate and has been in charge since 1992. He is constantly progressing the estate’s quality by integrating organic farming methods and modernizing production. In 2013, the estate began farming using strictly organic and biodynamic methods—in 2016 they will be certified in both arenas.

The second wine of the Château is called “Relais de Durfort-Vivens,” and between 2003 and 2005, they bottled another wine from a small single vineyard site which was classified as Haut-Médoc (the bordering appellation), not Margaux, hence the name “Haut-Médoc de Durfort-Vivens.” The Château was awaiting approval from the AOC to include this parcel in the productions of their Grand Vin (top wine). In 2006, it was granted AOC Margaux status and now the fruit is added to their top wine each year. The 2005 Haut-Médoc is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot which is fermented in concrete and aged in neutral oak for about 18 months. It’s then transferred to large oak barrels for fining using egg whites, the traditional method in the region.

The 2005 Haut-Médoc de Durfort-Vivens has a light garnet core quickly moving to a rusty amber hue on the rim. The aromas are evolved and mature with slightly rustic notes of dried plums, red currants, wet herbs, green tobacco, violets, green peppercorns, wet clay and cacao nibs. The palate is medium bodied with flavors similar to the nose with dried red fruits, mushrooms and a touch of a leafy green tobacco and herb flavors. This wine is ready to drink now and I don’t advise aging this wine much longer, it should be consumed over the next year or two. This wine does not need much air, I would recommend decanting for only about 15-20 minutes to remove a touch of sediment in the bottle, then serve in large Bordeaux stems at just above cellar temperature. Do not let this wine sit for hours in the decanter as the wine will likely peak between 30-90 minutes open. This is earth-driven Bordeaux, meaning food is ideal for the best experience and will bring this wine to another level. This Beef Stew Recipe (Daube de Boeuf) will be perfect to complement the earthy and rustic qualities in this wine.
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Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Sub-Region
FranceHaut-Médoc (Margaux)
Soil
Deep Gravel, Sand and Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
Neutral French

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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