Sappy and intense, with a tongue-coating feel to the crushed plum and cherry preserve notes. Long and silky through the finish, with black tea and iron lurking. —J.M.

2nd Growth Margaux (40hl/ha, 50%harvest, 14%) [70CS/26M/4CF] Dense, ripe, minerally nose, sweet Cabernet Sauvignon; firm yet fleshy middleweight, fine in tannin, fresh in acidity; very nice, slightly fleshier balance than usual; sweet cored, long and refined, nice complexity, quite generous, good spicy black fruit, aromatic length, though you do notice the alcoholic warmth a bit on the finish. A definite, positive, change of style here over the past couple of years, a little fuller, a little fleshier, nothing excessive. Should be accessible relatively early for the vintage. 2018-30+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2011]

A perplexing estate, there has been some back-pedaling in quality, given the very cedary, herbaceous nose, including some notes of leafy vegetables. The wine is a medium-bodied blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. The alcohol level is 13.9%, slightly lower than many of the better wines in this vintage, given the ripeness and high alcohols 2010 produced. A rather safely made, correct, but uninspiring effort, this medium-bodied Margaux should drink nicely for 10-15+ years. Drink: 2013 - 2028
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

(89-91 pts)
2010: Following decades of mediocrity, this property has finally produced a wine worthy of reviewing. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2010 (13.9% alcohol) possesses a dark purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of spring flowers, black currants, blueberries and damp earth. Medium-bodied, elegant and concentrated with more depth, richness and texture than other recent vintages, it will benefit from 6-8 years of cellaring and should drink well over the following two decades.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged 18 months in barrel (50% new oak). Deep crimson colour. Dark fruit and mint notes with a hint of anise or fennel (similar to that found in Le Plateau 2019). Succulent fruit on the mid palate with integrated tannins. Long, persistent finish. Definitely more precision and balance. Plenty of life and tension. (JL)

Sweet oak, lovely bright red fruit with a crunchy youthfulness. Fragrant, delicate – accurate to the appellation, though neither hugely complex nor with great fruit density. (RH)

Tasted at the UGC tasting in London. I was really hoping for a great Durfort-Vivens 2010 after a more impressive showing out of barrel compared to recent years. It has plenty of ripe red fruit on the nose, exhibiting none of the herbaceous qualities that other vintages have shown. So far, so good. However, just when my hopes were up, the palate shows a touch of greenness on the entry that jars with the sweet ripe black fruits and it leads to a slightly astringent finish. Tasted November 2012.

(89-91 pts)
Tasted at Haut-Bages Liberal and twice at the UGC, this has a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 26% Merlot, the Durfort-Vivens displays fine purity on the nose with noticeable glycerine. The palate is medium-bodied with a relatively soft entry, well-integrated oak, dark berried fruit, a touch of tar, some tobacco/espresso developing with aeration. It is quite fleshy towards the finish...a very fine effort. Tasted April 2011.