Château Bouscassé and Montus vineyards.Supplied
Alain Brumont’s Château Bouscassé and Montus vineyards in Madiran have brought international recognition to southwest France, but he remembers the region having zero reputation with wine lovers some 40 years ago, when he first got his start in the 1980s.
Not even the local farmers thought much of the grapes and wines made in this remote, hilly area in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountain about an hour away from Bordeaux. Brumont, who quit school at 16 to work at his family’s estate, Château Bouscassé, recalls how he relied on knowledge gleaned from books and magazines and a trip to Bordeaux in 1979 to figure out how to produce quality wines in Madiran.
“There was no real target or local benchmark to work toward,” Brumont explains. The ideal was to make the best wines that he and his vineyards could produce.
Embracing experimentation and innovation, Brumont bottled his first wines in 1982 and produced Cuvée Prestige, the region’s first 100-per-cent tannat-based red wine in 1985. These early releases captured the attention of wine buyers who were surprised by the richness and refinement compared with the traditionally coarse and firm regional wines.
Alain Brumont and Antoine Veiry.Supplied
Decisions to reduce the yields of grapes in the vineyard, hand pick the fruit instead of using machines and age his wines in oak barrels helped Brumont create red wines with a fruity and polished character. Even after decades of success, there’s a push to continue to refine how the grapes are grown and wines are made. Brumont believes there’s still much to learn about making wine in southwest France, particularly ones produced from the region’s tannat grape.
“I was told that each year I need to conduct 20 different experiments in the vineyard and 20 different experiments in the cellar,” says Antoine Veiry, Brumont’s stepson who joined the cellar in 2017 after having worked in Champagne, the south of France and Australia. “I must always be looking to make improvements for the future.”
The 2017 vintage of Château Bouscassé has recently been released at Vintages outlets in Ontario. Brumont undertakes the initial aging in his cellars, keeping bottles back for four or five years so they are ready to drink on release. (Other premium selections, such as Montus XL and the single-vineyard release, La Tyre, are kept for 10 years before being made available to consumers.) This is a substantial wine that promises to mature gracefully in the bottle over the next decade. It’s a tremendous representation of what the Madiran region is capable of producing but continues to be underappreciated compared with wines of similar quality produced in nearby Bordeaux. That’s good news for value hunters looking for affordable wines to cellar.
Bouscassé is a featured recommendation alongside three other red wines that stood out in recent tastings as worthy additions to the cellar. Keep in mind, you’ll want to taste these – or any wine – you’re thinking of saving for later to make sure you enjoy it. That way, you’ll also have a better appreciation of how its flavour and texture has evolved as it gains more complexity.
Bachelder Wismer Foxcroft Gamay Noir 33% Whole Cluster 2021 (Canada), $29.95
Gamay wasn’t originally on Niagara winemaker Thomas Bachelder’s radar. His focus was strictly on chardonnay and pinot noir before the potential of this other variety captured his imagination in 2016. Working with grapes grown at the Wismer Foxcroft vineyard in Vineland, Bachelder has captured the quintessential character of Niagara gamay here. There’s a concentrated core of ripe red fruit with some peppery notes that add complexity and interest. It’s bright and flavourful so it’s easy to appreciate right now, but it’s a style I tend to enjoy with more richness and development from bottle age. Drink now to 2028. Available at the above price in Ontario, $33 in Quebec.
Château Bouscassé 2017 (France), $23.95
This is a seriously complex and age-worthy red wine for its price. A blend of 60 per cent tannat with 20 per cent each of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, this offers appealing fragrance and flavour, with a satisfying mix of dark fruit, floral and smoky notes. Extensive aging in oak barrels and bottle (two years before release) mean this is ready to drink now, with the structure and balance to age over the next decade. Drink now to 2033. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in British Columbia and Alberta, $21.85 in Quebec.
Château Teynac 2016 (France), $69.95
Working from a 12.5-hectare estate in Saint-Julien, this cabernet sauvignon-dominant red blend offers attractive ripe fruit flavours with cedar and some fragrant green notes, suggesting fennel and fern, adding complexity. A nicely balanced wine, with supple texture and a persistent finish, this should mature nicely. Drink now to 2030. Available in Ontario.
Famille Perrin La Gille Gigondas 2020 (France), $32.95
A satisfying blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre from Gigondas in the southern Rhône Valley, this red wine offers nicely balanced fruit, floral and spice flavours. The style is ripe and inviting, with integrated tannins and alcohol that will help this mature gracefully in the cellar. Drink now to 2030. Available at the above price in Ontario, $46.99 in British Columbia (Marquis Wine Cellars), $38.99 in Manitoba, $32.75 in Quebec.
Christopher Waters