2015 - Durfort-Vivens, Margaux

Utterly delicious, generous and impressively structured, bright and vivid with layers of ripe blackberry and damson Cabernet fruit, dusted with eucalyptus, liquorice and graphite. 50% new oak, harvest September 15 to October 8. Léopold Valentin technical director, Gonzague Lurton owner.

The 2015 Durfort-Vivens has a perfumed bouquet with more ripeness and perfume than the previous vintage. Buoyant red berry fruit, blueberry and a touch of violet, there is perhaps more Margaux-like than the 2014. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy with a fine acidity, a touch of white pepper and clove towards the finish and a hint of espresso on the aftertaste. This is a superb Durfort Vivens, arguably the finest up to that point. Tasted twice, both at the château and at Jascott's Bordeaux tasting in London.

The 2015 Durfort Vivens has a predictably leafier and more herbaceous bouquet than its Margaux peers, though not unattractive with a slight steely edge. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm, grainy tannin in the mouth. I appreciate the balance here and compared to recent vintages, there is clearly more fruit concentration on the finish, a pleasant salinity on the aftertaste. For those that prefer a leaner style of Claret, this comes recommended, and as I have seen in the past, it tends to put on weight by the time it is in bottle.

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot. Aged 18 months in barrel (60% new oak).Garnet hue. Ripe and round, the generosity signalling a solar year. Gourmand fruit on the palate. Plush and full but fresh at the same time. Bigger volume with firm, forceful tannins. Powerful but contained. Large but balanced. Considerable potential for ageing. (JL)