Vignobles Brumont

Alain Brumont's achievements have placed him in the top tier of French winemakers. From the famous Alain Brumont comes the premium estates of Chateau Montus, Chateau Bouscasse, La Tyre (super premium single vineyard), the new concept Torus (using grapes from both estates), the wonderful sweet white Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, and the well reviewed VDP Gascogne range.

"These are unreal wines that are purely made, remarkably rich, and so complete and promising that they cannot be ignored." Robert Parker

"The wines of Alain Brumont are at the same level as Château Latour and the greatest wines in the world.” "Alain Brumont is, in the world of wines 'A bull fighter'” Steven Spurrier of Decanter

"Alain Brumont is simply the best and most forward-thinking vintner in Madiran" Wine Spectator

"Five Star Outstanding Estate"  The New France

"Winemaker of the 80’s Decade" awarded in 1991 by the famous food and wine French magazine Gault-Millau

Alain Brumont is top 10 French for Robert Parker and Steven Tanzer.

Andrew Jefford, renowned British wine critic, in his latest book "The New France" named the 10 icons wines of Bordeaux and South West as: Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Petrus, Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Yquem, BRUMONT

Alain Brumont took the French wine world by storm in 1996 when his Chateau Montus beat most of the leading Bordeaux First Growths in a blind tasting with a score of 94 out of 100. His range has expanded from his two chateaux, Château Montus and Château Bouscasse, to encompass some 12 wines along with an excellent range of Côtes de Gascogne.

So convinced is Brumont of the quality of his wines that, in November 2007, he arranged for a blind tasting event at his home, the Château Montus. With over 60 tasters from around the world, Brumont pitted his Château Montus La Tyre 2000 against the same vintage of, among others, Château Cheval Blanc, Penfolds Grange, Ridge Monte Bello, Petrus and Mouton Rothschild Pauillac. The La Tyre was ranked number one in the first tasting and number three in the second. Château Boucassé 2000 Vielles Vignes, which was also tasted, placed fifth and fourth respectively.

Alain Brumont is a driven man; indeed no wine-grower in France sets about his work with a greater and more restless ambition than this fierce over-achiever. He has developed a very bio-organic consciousness without actually being certified. He has gone to the extent of building water retention ponds so that the water they use for irrigation and washing all comes from what has been naturally collected in the vineyards. Alain is not a man to do things by halves. The architecture of his estates and the Chateau Montus are further evidence of this.

Alain Brumont enjoys a Madiran on a summers day at Ch Bouscasse.

Vignobles Brumont was selected to participate in the 2005 'Wine Experience' held in New York where 230 of the world’s most prestigious wines were being presented. Brumont wines recently featured in Wine Spectator and Decanter magazines.

Alain Brumont is the leading winemaker in the Madiran.  He controls over 10% of the regions vineyards. Montus, Bouscasse and other estates he owns such as La Tyre represent some of the best terroirs of Madiran.

Brumont's small empire in Madiran today is a tale of two terrains. While Bouscassé is dominated by clay-based soils, Montus features pebbles and stones washed down or pushed by glaciers eons ago from the Pyrenees.

There are said to be 22 distinctive hills and ridges in Madiran, and Brumont claims to have vines planted on 20 of them. "You can only plant on the top of the slopes to make good quality wines," Brumont explains. In stylistic terms, the wines of Montus are lush, big and ripe while those of Bouscassé are more muscular and powerful.

Alain Brumont began his career in Bordeaux before moving south to Madiran where he quickly started to accumulate vineyards and properties. He brought new techniques to the region, increasing planting densities to 8,500 vines a hectare, using home-made, organic composts and green harvesting.

Not using the micro-oxygenation process, Brumont believes instead that long periods in new oak is what Tannat requires to show its best. Certainly, these are not oaky reds, the wine just soaks up the wood with barely a trace. Very single minded, highly driven and outspoken, reports suggest that Brumont serves to inspire and irritate in equal measure. What cannot be argued with is his profound influence on the region that has seen quality shoot upwards.

Alain BRUMONT made several significant changes to existing winemaking practices since he took over from his father in 1980 and the subsequent expansions of the estates:

• concentrating on his choice of the best terroirs
• matching the wine varieties to a specific terroir : his greatest gift!
• insisting on the importance of replanting the best available grafts
• doubling the number of vines planted per hectare in order to increase their potential, they do this to significantly reduce the crop per vine
• reducing yields by severe pruning and careful grape selection
• recognised the importance of adapting the fermentation to suit the grape variety
• The first to age his wines in 100% new French oak barrels

The Alain Brumont estates produce an extensive range of wines under the two chateau labels. They range across the whole set of Madiran and Pacherenc types, from the newer style easier drinking reds to 100% Tannat Madirans of great concentration and finess and to the rich sweet white Pacherenc du Vic Bilh.

Brumont makes more than 190,000 cases of wine each year, which includes not only his château bottlings but also a range of Vin de Pays Cotes de Gascogne reds and whites.

The Gascogne range will win you over with their exotic fruity aromas. They are exceptionally fresh and clean. It was in Gascogne, a true Eldorado of new terroirs, that Alain Brumont found what he was looking for to produce a new range of fresh, clean and fruity wines using existing and other grape varieties. See our range of these wines.