Alain Brumont: "My wine safe will survive the end of the world."

Alain Brumont, a star winemaker from the southwest, has arrived with a surprising and unique concept! He has built a wine vault capable of withstanding natural disasters! After successfully reviving the Tannat grape variety, he shares with us today the latest news from Châteaux Montus and Bouscassé !

News from Châteaux Montus & Bouscassé

Right now, we're selling the 2015 vintage en primeur. For 30 years, we've been in high demand, just like the top ten Bordeaux châteaux. We've had great success, and our pre-orders (30% of our production) are eagerly awaited by our loyal French and international clientele. The price is attractive because pre-orders allow buyers to benefit from a price 30% lower than the reference price. The 2015 vintage is shaping up to be exceptional; all the conditions are in place for it to go down in history. An exceptional year, on par with 2010 and 1995. The first tastings confirm well-rounded wines, with very rich acidity and tannins, both of which will create a brilliant whole.

At Château Bouscassé, 2016 will be marked by two events: my 35th vintage and my father's 100th birthday. A special cuvée is dedicated to him: Château Bouscassé Hommage à Alban Brumont. The family estate has been an integral part of the appellation's history since 1861. Benefiting from exceptional terroirs in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Bouscassé has joined the ranks of Montus and earned recognition from critics and wine lovers in France and internationally. The latest Wine Spectator ranking places Château Bouscassé 51st in the world (only two French wines appear in the ranking!).

Château Montus, the Cathedral of Tannat

Tannat is, for me, the grape variety of the future: no inputs are needed, it's perfectly suited to the local ecosystem. A great Tannat aged for two years in oak barrels can be enjoyed after 4-5 years (the fruit is still present but well-distilled) but also boasts a record and unique potential for infinite aging (nearly a century!). After christening Château Montus the Cathedral of Tannat, the new 4,000 m² green space (dedicated to storing wines and my collection of 35 vintages) has already earned the nickname "the Tannat vault."

The "Tannat Vault": an ultra-sophisticated wine storage facility at Château Montus

Our customers will be able to benefit – in three months – from this ultra-sophisticated storage facility equipped with the latest technological innovations (maintaining a temperature of 15°C with 75% humidity) in complete security. What's more, this service will be free! We'll be offering ready-to-drink wines, like Vega Sicilia. The idea is to release some vintages earlier and others later, ensuring they reach their peak. This allows us to offer 10 vintages at the same price, without any price gouging. My concept is unique. You don't always realize it in a wine cabinet, but there are vibrations. Here, in this vault, the storage is entirely natural. The concrete wall is 50 cm thick with 20 cm of insulation (in a freezer, the insulation is only 5 cm!). So, yes, this vault will provide storage that can withstand earthquakes, seismic activity, atomic bombs, and even the end of the world! And even if we experience a power outage lasting a month, it won't affect the stored wines at all! So today, you can buy bottles of wine for your children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren!

40 years of career: Châteaux Montus & Bouscassé, icons of the Southwest

In recent years, all the wine magazines have hailed us as icons of Southwest France. It's a collective achievement. Living self-sufficiently with my team, sharing a table every lunchtime with them at La Table Bouscassé, brings a wealth of experience. Thanks to my unique concept, I've been able to elevate the Madiran appellation to the level of the best French wine regions, with its own distinctive style, earning it the nickname "the Pétrus of Southwest France ." Thanks to the infinite qualities of the three indigenous grape varieties—Tannat, Petit Courbu, and Petit Manseng—and the exceptional terroirs all brought together in one place, I've succeeded in creating great red, dry white, and sweet wines.

Alain Brumont's projects for the Montus & Bouscassé Castles

Some critics say I've accomplished in thirty years what others have taken three centuries! I have an ambitious plan for the next ten years, and I want it to live up to the young and high-performing team around me. I want to improve quality through a new winemaking process to optimize the expression of the terroir. We've discovered two new terroirs. We're going to adopt a new approach to viticulture because the appellation contrôlée framework no longer suits me; it doesn't suit the terroir. Here, I have examples of wines that have succeeded because of their terroir, like Menhir or Argile Rouge from Château Bouscassé. I want the terroir to reign supreme!

Find Alain Brumont's wines at Les Grappes

Shamini (The Grapes)