Why Does One Château's Name Carry Two Family Names?

Until now, we have traced the five First Growths standing at the summit of the 1855 Classification. But the classification does not end with the First Growths. Just below them, the Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) currently include fourteen châteaux. One of them, Château Durfort-Vivens, carries a small mystery in its very name.

Look closely. "Durfort" and "Vivens" — this hyphenated name did not originally belong to a single family. It was formed when the names of two families were joined together in a particular year. Why did this happen? The answer lies in an 18th-century marriage, and in a decision made in 1824 by the sons of that generation. The vineyard still lies within the AOC Margaux today, with its core in the commune of Margaux and additional parcels extending into the neighboring commune of Cantenac, among others.

Two Family Names — Durfort and Vivens

The first family to put down roots on this land was the Durfort de Duras family. Their origins are said to reach back even further, to the Quercy region in southern France, but reliable records begin only in the 14th century, when the family settled in Margaux. Records show that Thomas de Durfort became lord of this land in 1450. From then on, the Durfort name remained linked to this vineyard for centuries.

In 1787, when Thomas Jefferson of the United States toured Bordeaux, his records are said to have included a mention of this vineyard (at the time, referred to simply as "Durfort," without "Vivens"). This was 68 years before the official 1855 Classification was created, in an era when the name still stood alone.

In 1758, the château passed to George Ainslie, a Scottish wine merchant. His youngest daughter married a knight of the Vivens family. According to tradition, it was their sons who joined the two family names together. In this way, in 1824, the present name "Durfort-Vivens" was born.

Twenty-Four Silent Years — A Château Dormant Within Margaux

Even after receiving its name, Durfort-Vivens's path was not smooth. In 1937, a group of shareholders of Château Margaux — investors including the Ginestet family — acquired the vineyard. From that point until 1961, Durfort-Vivens ceased to function as a château. Grapes harvested from its vineyard were carried to neighboring Château Margaux and vinified there. For twenty-four years, the name Durfort-Vivens survived only within the records of the Classification.

The Lurton Family's Revival, and the Present Day

It was Lucien Lurton who woke the estate from its sleep, in 1961. He acquired the vineyard and winemaking facilities on his own and began the work of rebuilding (the château building itself remained in the hands of the Ginestet family at this stage). In 1992, management passed to Lucien's son, Gonzague Lurton. Together with his wife Claire Lurton, Gonzague jointly manages several châteaux under the name "Gonzague & Claire Lurton Estates," and Durfort-Vivens continues its journey today as one of them.

In 2016, the estate obtained Demeter certification, an international certification for biodynamic viticulture. Conversion to biodynamic farming in the vineyard had begun in 2009, and by 2013 the entire vineyard had reached organic and biodynamic cultivation. In winemaking, aging in terracotta amphorae was introduced around 2017, and the estate now holds more than 160 amphorae.

The second wine carries the name "Vivens" (the label "Le Relais de Durfort-Vivens" is also used for the négociant trade). Since 2019, a parallel line called "Les Parcelles de Durfort-Vivens," which expresses the character of individual plots, has also been produced, though this is a separate project from the second wine. The two family names, joined by a hyphen, still stand side by side at the center of the label today.

Three Facts Worth Knowing

• The name "Durfort-Vivens" is in fact a combination of two family names. In 1824, the name of the Vivens family joined that of the Durfort family, creating the present name.
• In 1787, the touring records of Thomas Jefferson of the United States are said to have included a mention of this vineyard, at the time known simply as "Durfort." This was 68 years before the official 1855 Classification.
• For twenty-four years, from 1937 to 1961, the château ceased to function, and its grapes were vinified at neighboring Château Margaux. The estate as it exists today began with Lucien Lurton's rebuilding effort in 1961.