On the palate, there is a balance between richness, smoothness, freshness and power that verges on perfection. This wine is voluptuous, smooth, fruity, finely textured, full-bodied and very long. There can be no doubt that this is an exceptional vintage that is already very generous on the palate, and shows excellent potential to improve further over time.

The grapes benefited from a dry, hot, sunny summer that has placed 2009 among the truly exceptional vintages. The cool nights and very generous sunshine provided perfect ripening conditions, resulting in a quite remarkable richness in the grapes when they were harvested. The excellent health of the grapes and fine late summer conditions enabled each plot to be harvested at just the right time.
Merlot: 28 to 30 september
Cabernet franc: 6 & 7 october
Cabernet sauvignon: 30 to 14 october
Average yield: 42 hL/ha

Classification: Second Grand Cru Classe in 1855
Area: 65 hectares of which 55 are vines
Soil: Deep gravel from the Quaternary period (Gunz and Mindel) with a sand/clay matrix
Grape varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon : 70 % ; Cabernet-Franc : 6% ; Merlot : 24 %
Density of planting: 6600 to 8300 vines/hectare
Vinification: wooden and concrete vats with capacities that enable each parcel to be treated separately
Maturing: an average of eighteen months in Bordeaux type barrels made from fine grain oak from the forests of central France. 45 to 50 % of the barrels are renewed every year
Owner: Gonzague Lurton
Director: Jerome Heranval A

The 2009 Château Durfort-Vivens is remarkable for its very intense, almost seductive expression of aromas. The bouquet offers an elegant combination of floral notes (violets), spices (pepper, cinnamon, liquorice and vanilla), red fruit (blackberries, blackcurrants and raspberries) and minerals.