New releases from Durfort-Vivens

Second growt Durfort-Vivens releases three new wines with quite distinct personalities. It is a different approach to the classic second wine and it thrills the nerd in me in quite a different way. Durfort-Vivens has about 50 hectares and has vineyards in the communes Cantenac, Soussans, Margaux and Arsac, all in the appellation Margaux. Cantenac and Margaux is the heart of the appellation. The best raw material will still be Château Durfort-Vivens. 

For the cuvée Les Plantes , the youngest wines, from 24 different plots, up to fifteen years of age. It contains 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. 80% in clay jars, 20% barrels. 

2019 Durfort-Vivens Les Plantes

Ruby. Lighter nose, anise, red fruits, spices, blackberries nose, faint herbal touch. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, lighter bodied, anise, good length. 88

For Le Plateau, the grapes are sourced from the Soussans parcels just north of Margaux, here the blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Rich and fertile soil of sand and deep gravel, 2/3 stored in clay jars, 1/3 in barrique, 10% new. Stored for 16 months before bottling. 

2019 Durfort-Vivens Le Plateau

Ruby. More depth and richness than Les Plantes, a definitive step up, cassis, dark fruits, spices, tobacco, detailed, some floral high notes, scented and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries and spices, nuanced and intense, fine tuned body and texture, long finish. 92 

Third one, Le Hameau is sourced from Cantenac, with 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Merlot. Vineyard of 10 hectares, east/ westexpositipn. Depp gravel. 16 months ageing before bottling, 2/3 in clay jars and 1/3 in barrels, 15% new. 

2019 Durfort-Vivens Le Hameau

Ruby. Dark fruits and deep nose with scented high notes, blackberries and liquorice, layered, not as lifted as Le Plateau but more depth. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, liquorice and spices, intense, bit more texture to it, bit firmer, long finish. 92

And then the first wine itself in 2019: 

2019 Château Durfort-Vivens

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, spices, floral, detailed and nuanced nose, liquorice and vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, dark fruits, intense and detailed, long finish. 95

I have found Durfort-Vivens underrated in the market for quite some time, maybe this new range of a more terroir personality will open the eyes of collectors to what is going on here.