Château Durfort-Vivens

Identity

Château Durfort-Vivens, a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification, is situated in Margaux. The estate is managed by Gonzague Lurton. Léopold Valentin serves as technical director, with Éric Boissenot as consulting oenologist.

History and philosophy

The origins of Château Durfort-Vivens date back to the 14th century, when the Durfort de Duras family settled in Margaux. The name Vivens was appended in 1824 when Robert-Adrien Labat de Vivens became the sole proprietor of the estate. Château Durfort-Vivens was recognised as a Deuxième Grand Cru in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.

In 1937, the Lurton family, already major shareholders in Château Margaux, acquired Château Durfort-Vivens. Lucien Lurton took the helm in 1961. Gonzague Lurton assumed leadership of the estate in 1992.

The winegrowing estate began converting to biodynamics on selected plots in 2009, extending the approach across the entire vineyard in 2010. Full organic and Demeter (biodynamic) certifications were granted in 2016 for the whole vineyard. The estate implements viticultural practices centred on biodynamics (specialist preparations, herbal treatments, composting), agroecology (hedgerows, wildlife corridors, grass cover, cover crops), and precision viticulture (soil analysis, microbiology, intra-plot seeding). A programme dedicated to preserving the Médoc's plant heritage is also underway.

Appellations

Château Durfort-Vivens produces wines under the Margaux appellation, classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé 1855. The estate also produces a white wine under the IGP Atlantique Blanc de Noirs appellation.

Practical information

Address: 3, rue du Général-de-Gaulle, 33460 Margaux.

Telephone: +33 (0)5 57 88 31 02

Email: j.ngoma@gc-lurton.com or infos@durfort-vivens.com

Visits are available by prior appointment. Online booking will open on 1 January 2026. Direct sales at the property and mail orders are available.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard spans 65 hectares. It is planted on deep gravel knolls set across three distinct geological terraces, encompassing 28 soil families with 92 identified soil sub-categories. The average vine age is 30 years. The parcels are situated across the communes of Margaux, Cantenac, Soussans, and Arsac.

The grape varieties for the red wines comprise 90% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The estate also tends 1.7 hectares of white grape varieties, predominantly Muscadelle (5,400 vines), alongside a small parcel of Castets (325 vines). Harvesting is carried out by hand.

Flagship cuvées

The estate's Grand Vin is Château Durfort-Vivens. It delivers a hallmark expression of the appellation, combining structure and aromatic complexity, driven by a predominance of Cabernet-Sauvignon in the blend (for instance, 84% in 2022). The wines undergo 18 months of ageing, split between new oak barrels (around 70%) and terracotta amphorae (around 30%). The introduction of terracotta jars for ageing began in 2018, and the property houses an impressive amphora cellar. The wines are often distinguished by their freshness, refined tannins, and exceptional ageing potential.

The second wine, created in 2008, is named Relais de Durfort-Vivens or Vivens.

The estate also crafts single-plot cuvées under the Les Parcelles range, introduced with the 2019 vintage. These include:

• Le Plateau: sourced from plots in the commune of Soussans, with a blend of 65% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 35% Merlot.
• Le Hameau: from parcels in the commune of Cantenac, blended from 53% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 47% Merlot.
• Les Plantes: crafted from the vineyard's youngest vines, with a blend of 88% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

These plot-by-plot cuvées are aged for 16 months, two-thirds in oak barrels and one-third in amphorae.

A cuvée named La Nature, introduced in 2017, is made from 100% Cabernet-Sauvignon and aged in amphorae without added sulphur.

The estate also produces a white wine under the IGP Atlantique Blanc de Noirs.

Vinification and ageing

The wines are aged in oak barrels and terracotta amphorae, the latter accounting for roughly a third of the grand vin's ageing since the 2018 vintage. The grand vin spends 18 months in elevage. The estate is acclaimed for its terracotta jar cellar, regarded as the largest in the world by volume.