The history of Gonzague & Claire Lurton is above all the union of two historical families in the production and marketing of Bordeaux wines. Before their marriage, the Merlaut family (Claire's family) and the Lurton family (Gonzague's family) respected each other for their skills & knowledge. The marriage of Claire and Gonzague sealed the link between the two largest families of owners of Grands Crus Classés of the Médoc area.
Gonzague inherited Château Durfort-Vivens in 1992 Stimulated by the challenge and the potential of the property and has the ambition to bring back Durfort-Vivens to its level of 2nd Grand Cru Classé. In 2009, he began the conversion to biodynamic viticulture, also convinced that this approach would allow him to rediscover the potential of the terroir that he had always sought. In 2016, against all expectations of his Bordeaux entourage, he obtained both organic and biodynamic certifications, making Château Durfort-Vivens the 1st Cru Classé of Margaux to do so. With her unfailing determination and tenacity, Claire is a fighter. And it takes temperament to make your way in the world of Bordeaux wine... Following in her mother Bernadette's footsteps, Claire is a woman winemaker in a region dominated by men. Claire was not destined to manage a wine estate. She lived in Paris and was preparing a doctorate in physics applied to archaeology, when her parents died in 1992, she has given up her studies and joined her grandfather Jacques Merlaut to continue her mother's work. Claire then started to study at the faculty of oenology in Bordeaux. In 2000, the properties of the Merlaut group were divided between the members of the family, Claire took the reins of Châteaux Ferrière, Haut-Bages Libéral and La Gurgue. Just 32 years old, she devotes herself wholeheartedly to bringing back the reputation and performance of the châteaux she inherited. She reshaped the entire production chain by reviving virtuous viticulture, reintegrating biodiversity while stopping the use of chemicals in the vineyards. This led her to convert and then certify the vineyard and the wines of Château Ferrière to biodynamic viticulture. The property will become the 2nd Cru Classé of 1855 to be certified organic by 2015, and certified biodynamic by 2018. Château Haut-Bages Liberal is certified organic since 2019. This gave them the freedom to work on long-term projects. They have always tried to work along two lines; social and environmental, supporting long term relationships with farmers / wine growers & training young generations in organic, biodynamic & sustainable practices in the vineyards and cellars.
In 2012 Claire and Gonzague acquire Trinité Estate in Sonoma County, Chalk Hill, and decided to cultivate Bordeaux grape varieties on the volcanic & chalky soils. In northern California, the days are sunny, and nights are cool with fresh air flawing from the Pacific Ocean but water is a scarce element. In order not to waste it, and with the objective of producing quality wines, Claire and Gonzague revolutionizing the irrigation system with the help of a renown French company. The company has developed a “Sap Flow"sensor that reads the water needs of the vineyard and, thanks to connected tools, makes it possible to make precise decisions considering the impact on the quality of the grapes. The water used come solely from two rainwater recovery lakes on the estate.
Nicolas Vonderheyden from Maison Areion’s Chaine d’Or Vineyards is the technical director and works closely with vineyards & cellar teams. Effective 2025 vintage, the estate will be certified organic.