Montus

History of Château Montus

The modern history of Château Montus begins in 1980, when Alain Brumont, a young passionate winemaker from Maumusson-Laguian, purchased this historic property in the Hautes-Pyrénées whose renown dated back to the 18th century. Convinced of the exceptional potential of Tannat, a local grape variety long underestimated, he embarked on a true qualitative revolution that would transform the Madiran appellation. The first winemaker in the region to age his wines in new barrels, he meticulously selected the best plots, doubled the planting density, drastically reduced yields and adapted the winemaking to each grape variety.

In 1985, Alain Brumont created the Montus Prestige cuvée, the first Madiran made from 100% Tannat aged entirely in new barrels, immediately compared to the Pétrus of Pomerol by the world's greatest tasters. In 1990, he discovered a ten-hectare plot with exceptional pebbles that would give birth to the mythical cuvée La Tyre. In 1995, he had a monumental underground cellar built, known as the Cathédrale du Tannat, which now houses 2,000 barrels. Today, Vignobles Brumont extends over nearly 190 hectares in total, including Château Bouscassé, and Alain Brumont has gradually handed over the reins to his son-in-law Antoine Veiry, in the continuity of an exceptional family adventure.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Château Montus

The terroir of Château Montus is a unique geological site, a vestige of the first Pyrenees formed 40 million years ago. The vines extend across the steep south and south-west facing slopes, covered with a thick layer of large reddish pebbles and gravel that can reach two metres in depth, resting on a subsoil of brown, orange and variegated clays and grep rock, a characteristic mix of pebbles and clay. This draining and warm geological mosaic offers ideal conditions for the perfect maturity of Tannat, a demanding grape variety that here reveals its full aromatic complexity.

The Château Montus vineyard covers 106 hectares planted predominantly with Tannat, accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc for the reds, and Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng for the whites under the Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh appellation. Yields are deliberately very low, with only five to six clusters per vine, guaranteeing remarkable aromatic concentration. Viticulture, certified Haute Valeur Environnementale, respects the rhythm of the soils and preserves biodiversity, in a forward-looking approach to natural viticulture.

Winemaking at Château Montus

Winemaking at Château Montus is the result of extreme rigour and permanent experimentation conducted over more than forty years by Alain Brumont. The harvest is entirely by hand, following a prior tasting of the juices in the vineyard to establish a precise classification of the terroirs and guide the blending. The filling of the vats is done by gravity, followed by cold maceration and then slow fermentation with exclusive pigeage (without pumping over or racking) to gently extract the finesse and elegance of the tannins. The total maceration lasts from three to six weeks depending on the vintage.

The ageing of the great red cuvées takes place in 60–80% new barrels, made from wood selected by the estate, with malolactic fermentation in barrel for the top-of-the-range wines. Only the free-run juice is retained, without the use of press wine, in order to preserve aromatic purity. For the whites, slow cold pressing over five hours, followed by fermentation and ageing on fine lees in 600-litre demi-muids for one to two years, gives birth to Pacherenc wines of rare depth. This artisanal precision, combined with impeccable hygiene and meticulous sorting of every grape, makes the wines of Montus world-class references built for long ageing.

The Cuvées of Château Montus

Château Montus rouge is the estate's classic cuvée and a true gateway into the Brumont universe. Crafted from dominant Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon, it seduces with its complex nose blending black fruits, spices and mentholated notes, and with its round palate of melted tannins, balanced between power and freshness. With an ageing potential of around ten years, it is an ideal companion for red meats, regional dishes and slow-cooked South-Western cuisine.

Château Montus blanc sec is one of the greatest white wines of the South-West, crafted under the Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh appellation from Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng. Slowly cold-pressed, vinified and aged for one to two years in 600-litre demi-muids on fine lees, it offers an intense golden colour, a floral and fruity nose with iodine accents, and a rich, silky and mineral palate with a long, fresh finish. A gastronomic white wine tailor-made for foie gras, sea bass, turbot or Aquitaine caviar.

Montus Prestige is the mythical cuvée that established the estate's international reputation in 1985. The first Madiran made from 100% Tannat aged entirely in new barrels, nicknamed the Pétrus of Madiran, it reveals exceptional power, complexity and purity. Its dense colour, its nose of black fruits, spices, leather and tobacco, and its well-structured palate with fine tannins make it a wine of very long ageing potential, capable of blossoming over thirty years in the cellar.

Montus XL is a cuvée paying tribute to the elders and the generations who shaped the terroir of Madiran. Crafted from 100% Tannat sourced from the finest plots, it stands out for its atypical, rich and opulent character. The dense and velvety palate, supported by powerful yet silky tannins, unfolds a grandiose substance and an interminable finish. An exceptional Tannat reserved for great occasions.

Montus La Tyre is the absolute pinnacle of Château Montus's production, considered the greatest Madiran ever vinified. Sourced from a unique ten-hectare plot discovered by Alain Brumont in 1990, made up of large pebbles with perfect south-facing exposure, this 100% Tannat cuvée is aged for 24 months in new barrels. With a deep colour, a noble bouquet blending stewed fruits, intense spices and smoky wisps, and a palate of sumptuous texture with tannins of rare finesse, La Tyre is a legendary wine with a virtually unlimited ageing potential.

Montus Pinot Noir is a more confidential cuvée vinified as a Vin de France, born of the pioneering spirit of Alain Brumont, who planted this Burgundian grape variety on the Gascon terroir. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, this red wine offers a surprising aromatic complexity blending delicate red fruits, soft spices and floral notes, with a fine and elegant palate prolonged by a delicate finish. A surprising and refined counterpoint to the powerful Tannat wines of the house.