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Chateau Montus

Chateau Montus is the flagship domaine of the region's leading winemaker, Alain Brumont, who also owns Chateau Bouscasse as well as Meinjarre, La Rosée and La Tyre. These estates represent some of the greatest terroirs of Madiran, which are spread over more than twenty hills within the appellation. Chateau Montus has the more classic terroir of all the domaines, being sited on a gravel hillside, with an incline of 5-10%, in contrast to the heavier clay soils of Chateau Bouscasse.

Brumont purchased Montus in the 1980s, not long after his return from Bordeaux, and by the time the 1990 vintage had passed he was regularly hailed as one of the South West's greatest winemakers. In the vineyard major changes were implemented, starting with extensive replanting with a doubling of the vine density to 8000 plants/ha, with a mixture of tilled soil or a grass cover crop between the rows. Yields are low, certainly less than 40 hl/ha, sometimes less than 30, ensured by a green harvest. The vineyards are almost exclusively Tannat, with some Merlot, and some white varieties. The harvest sees a detailed sorting before fermentation, preceded by a cold soak of up to ten days to increase extraction. The cap sees automatic pigeage. A variety of oak is used, depending on the cuvée, including a little of American origin, although the majority is French. The wines see 100% new oak, with the super-cuvée XL residing in 400 litre barrels for up to three years. The wines undergo malolactic in barrel - there is no micro-oxygenation here, by the way - and are racked twice before bottling without filtration.

The straight Chateau Montus is predominantly Tannat, although with a secondary variety blended in, often Merlot although it may also be Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cuvée Prestige is a selection of up to 100% Tannat, as is the Cuvée XL, although this sees a different program of oak ageing as explained above. There is in addition a dry white, a Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec, 100% Petit Courbu, barrel fermented and partly aged in new oak with some batonnage. (16/8/05)

Contact details:
Address: 32400 Maumusson-Laguian
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 62 69 74 67
Fax: +33 (0) 5 62 69 70 46

Chateau Montus - Tasting Notes

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Chateau Montus Madiran Cuvée Prestige 1999: Deep, intense colour, right out to the rim. Smoky, smouldering charcoal nose, laid over with a meaty, animalistic aroma. A very firm presence on the palate; full, rich in dark cherry fruit, although revealed only with persuasion. This wine needs time, another five years I suspect, to relax and yield these flavours more readily. A very dry, tannic structure, but there is good balance. Very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (August 2005)

Alain Brumont Vendemiaire Octobre (Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, France) 1996: Pale orange hue. Decent honeyed notes and some botrytis on the nose. Sweet, lightly textured, well balanced. Lovely stuff. Simple, but clean and refreshing on the palate. 16.5/20 (September 2003)

Chateau Montus Madiran 1995: A good depth of colour for ten years of age. Maturing berry fruit nose, a touch of leather, woodspice and cloves. Good, full palate. Firm texture; showing strong tannins and very firm acidity, which peaks at the endpalate. This provides the structure for a maturing palate, not quite showing the seamless integration of a great wine at present. Burnt coffee and berry fruit flavour. Has potential, but will remain a firm, masculine style. 15.5+/20 (August 2005)