2019 Château Montus and Bouscassé: A Premiere Glance

BY NICOLAS GREINACHER | APRIL 16, 2024

Tasting the latest releases from Château Montus and Bouscassé felt like reconnecting with a forgotten era. Both wines originate from the Madiran AOC in Southwest France, a region nestled roughly two hours away from Bordeaux by car. This secluded area faces the Pyrénées Mountain range, which acts as a natural border between France and Spain and lies about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean. I recalled that Tannat was the predominant grape variety in this region, renowned for producing deeply colored reds with robust tannic profiles. Antoine Veiry is the new winemaker and soon-to-be owner of both estates. Veiry inquired about my last tasting experience with these wines. After some thought, I remembered I had indeed encountered Château Montus approximately 15 years prior, but since then, there has been an undeniable hiatus.

Château Montus viewed from above.

But let's begin from the start. Alain Brumont, Antoine Veiry’s stepfather, played a pivotal role in establishing both estates as prominent figures in the world of French wine over 40 years ago. In 1979, Brumont inherited Château Bouscassé, his father's 17-hectare vineyard. Just a year later, he acquired Château Montus, conveniently located just 15 minutes away. Nineteen eighty-five marked the debut of Montus Prestige, the inaugural Madiran crafted solely from Tannat and meticulously aged in new oak barrels - a deliberate effort to tame the intense tannins of the variety. Veiry, now 30 years old, entered the scene in 2003 alongside his mother, Laurence. "At nine years old, I never imagined working in a vineyard. It wasn't a passion of mine. I hail from my mother's side, a family of farmers, but not specifically grape growers or winemakers. Alain Brumont instilled in me this love for vines. And then, this fascination with wine, which became a revelation for me," Veiry reminisces.

When Veiry was around 14 years old, he began working in both vineyards and cellars. As years passed, he embarked on internships in prestigious wineries, collaborating with luminaries such as Anselme Selosse (Champagne Jacques Selosse), Hervé Bizeul (Domaine du Clos des Fées) and Guillaume Pouthier (Château Les Carmes Haut Brion), among others. Veiry returned to Château Bouscassé and Montus full-time in the summer of 2018. Today, he oversees both viticulture and winemaking, while 78-year-old Alain Brumont remains involved in a supportive role. I was eager to sample the 2019 vintage releases representing the wineries' most recent offerings.

Thirty-year-old Antoine Veiry is the new sheriff in town at Château Montus and Bouscassé.