Wine of the Week – Petit Torus – Chateau Bouscasse, Madiran
Wine Overview
Today we’re celebrating Alain Brumont, Head Winemaker and Proprietor at Château Montus & Bouscassé in Madiran, France. Alain’s wines were featured at this year’s G7 Summit in France. Today, we’re focusing on the varietal he is most synonymous with – Tannat. Today’s wine is Petit Torus – 60% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Aged solely in concrete but you wouldn’t know solely by drinking the wine because it has so much persona and so much richness. – Andy Lebon, Sales Representative – Regal Wine Imports
Alain Brumont’s wines are at the level of Chateau Latour and the world’s greatest wines. – Steven Spurrier
Winery Overview
Alain Brumont took over the little family wine estate, Château Bouscassé, in 1979, then purchased Château Montus to create the wine of his dreams. He constructed his first underground cellars at Bouscassé in 1988, then the new Château Montus cellars in 1995. By 2003, the chateau had been renovated to receive seminars and special events. In 1990 he discovered the ideal stretch of land that would become a world-renowned icon: La Tyre. Alain has been voted best French winemaker and, at the international level, the producer of one of the ten finest wines in the world.
Vineyard
Vineyards located at the top of the hills, each parcel being separated by a forest, this in order to avoid contamination from one vineyard to another. Alain uses only natural spring water taken from his timbered hills, not polluted thanks to the ideal and privileged environment of Gascony. Sun orientation is at 15:00PM for the rows. Work on the single bunch and replace the traditional yield by the number of bunch per vine. Bouscasse is 120 ha mainly composed of red and grey clay. Montus is 110 ha with very strong slopes with large rolled pebbles.
Vinification
Selection of the grape, manual harvest, Wine making in blended grapes varieties, fermentation at 25°c, rather short maceration: 2-3 weeks. Ageing in concrete tank and inox vat, 1 year on fine lees.
Tasting notes provided by Andy Lebon – Sales Representative – Regal Wine Imports. Winery Overview, Vineyard and vinification details provided by Regal Wine Imports.