Château Durfort-Vivens 2018 (Pre-Arrival)

"Minuscule récolte en raison du mildiou, vinifiée exceptionnellement en amphores de terre cuite, et sublime texture. Un futur vin culte. (translation: Tiny harvest due to mildew, vinified exceptionally in terra cotta amphora, and sublime texture. A future cult wine.)" - BETTANE & DESSEAUVE (5/3/2019), Ratings: 97-98

"The 2018 Durfort-Vivens is a total bomb. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2018 exudes concentration from the very first taste. Blackberry jam, spice, lavender, cloves and new leather infuse the 2018 with layers of depth. Durfort is without question one of the most compelling wines of the vintage. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, a bit more Franc than normal because Franc proved more resistant to mildew. The 2018 was vinified entirely in amphora, with manual punchdowns." - VINOUS (ANTONIO GALLONI) , Ratings: 96, Drink: 2026-2048

"This is a crazy wine. Everything was done by hand, without electricity, because it was made in seven-hectoliter amphora. The grapes were hand-sorted. It’s full-bodied with tannins that are integrated so well into the wine, which gives it tension and freshness. Blackberries. Lavender. 10 hectoliters. Best Dufort ever?" - JAMES SUCKLING (4/12/2019), Ratings: 96-97

"Another biodynamic estate that suffered low yields in 2018, clocking in at just 10hl/ha. But it has done a brilliant job with the remaining juice: all the winemaking was done in amphorae because the vats were too big for the small production, with 70% of the wine moved into new oak barrels after malolactic fermentation for ageing, the other 30% staying in the amphorae. It's hugely inky in colour, totally beautiful, with gourmet dark chocolate and damson notes that fill out the mid-palate. There's less Cabernet in the blend than usual but they have kept the elegance, with perhaps a touch more softness in overall texture than is usual in Durfort at this stage. The extremely fine tannins make this feel effortless and it doesn't suffer from the over-concentration that is always a risk at these yields." - Decanter (JANE ANSON), Ratings: 94, Drink: 2027 - 2042