Often shortened to “Le Relais,” this is the second wine of Château Durfort-Vivens, crafted for earlier pleasure while echoing the grand vin’s Cabernet-led elegance. Drawn from the same biodynamically farmed gravel croupes in Cantenac, it shows classic Margaux perfume—violet and rose—over cassis, redcurrant and dark cherry, with discreet cedar, pencil shavings and a cool, mineral line.
Winemaking is gentle and parcel-by-parcel to keep the weave fine: careful sorting, measured extraction, and élevage that blends larger formats with a modest seasoning of French oak (and, in recent vintages, a portion raised in amphora) so wood reads as polish and length rather than flavour. The result is sleek and precise: supple entry, silken tannins and a savoury, dry finish.
On the palate it sits medium-bodied with a flowing mid-palate and refreshing acidity. Warmer years bring plusher black fruit and velvet; cooler seasons tilt to redder fruit, florals and extra cut—always recognisably Margaux, distinctly Durfort-Vivens in its poise.
Serve at 16–18 °C in Bordeaux stems; young bottles benefit from a 30–45 minute decant to relax the mid-palate and lift perfume. Pair with roast lamb and rosemary, rib-eye with thyme, duck with cherry jus, mushroom ragù, or firm cheeses such as aged Comté—the wine’s freshness and fine tannins keep richness in balance.
Drink happily from 3–5 years after the vintage; in stronger seasons it cruises for 8–12, developing cedar, tobacco and sweet-earth complexity while the Margaux perfume and gravel-etched spine stay clear.
