2023 Chateau Durfort Vivens Margaux

In 1787, Thomas Jefferson toured Bordeaux and ranked its wines for posterity. He put Durfort right behind Lafite, Latour, and Margaux—fourth in all of Bordeaux. The 1855 classification backed him up with a Second Growth title, and the owners of Château Margaux were so convinced of the terroir they bought the estate outright in 1937 and kept it for a quarter century. Very few $59 bottles show up with a résumé like that.

Today, under Gonzague Lurton, the estate is making the best wine of its modern era. As the first classified growth in Margaux to achieve full biodynamic certification, they age nearly a third of the Grand Vin in clay amphorae, yielding remarkably vivid fruit. The 2023 release is the proof, anchored by a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Antonio Galloni calls it a "positively stellar Grand Vin" that is even more impressive in bottle than it was in barrel. James Suckling praises its "great purity of fruit" and "creamy texture", while Galloni notes a drinking window that cruises deep into the 2050s.

Now the price, because it makes no sense. The other names on that 1855 second tier—Cos d'Estournel, Montrose, Léoville Las Cases—routinely run $150 to $300 a bottle. Total Wine sells this exact bottle for $80. The national average sits at $67.

Ours is $59. The lowest price in the United States. At $59, this isn't just a cellar addition; it is a buy-by-the-case directive. Secure your allocation immediately.