chateau montus prestige 1999

"the rise of the madiran appellation owes much to the person of alain brumont, whose ambition and perseverance made it a success story for his peers. coming from a family of owners - château bouscassé on the same appellation -, alain brumont acquired montus in 1979, replanting the vineyard himself and producing his first vintages with basic equipment, attracting the mockery of neighbouring producers. however, the success is immediate and, in the wake, he launches into the production of dry white wine, of appellation pacherenc-du-vic-bilh. now also the owner of bouscassé, he works to maintain the reputation of his estates, whose wines are the delight of lovers of epicurean nectars. on the 90 hectares dedicated to red wine at château montus, the cultivation of soils and plants is done in reasoned control and the harvest is entirely manual. the wines undergo a traditional vinification in stainless steel vats, then a 14-month aging in new oak barrels (between 50% and 100% depending on the cuvées), for an exceptional density and creaminess. the château currently produces three red cuvées: château montus, montus xl and la tyre, the montus-prestige cuvée having been abandoned in 2004 in favour of a superior château montus. this cuvée 100% tannat is vinified in wooden vats, with pigeages, then the malolactic fermentations are made in new barrels on lees; the ageing is then conducted in new barrels, for 14 to 16 months. this sublime cuvée is distinguished by its very high density in the mouth, its volume, depth, breadth and richness. open the bottle at least an hour before, and enjoy it with a nice piece of red meat."