ALAIN BRUMONT (Châteaux Montus & Bouscassé), without doubt, the leading estate in Madiran for the last 20 years, owner, Alain Brumont has done an enormous amount of work for the appellation. He set the example by reducing yields, increasing significantly the density of vines per hectare, using only the best available grafts, buds selection, adapting grape varieties to the best suited terroir, harvesting perfectly ripe grapes and oak-ageing most of his wine. The estates comprises of 3 main types of terroirs. Alain Brumont was awarded Bettane/Desseauve Guide des Vins de France, 2010 Winegrower of the year. Others were there before him, but it was Alain Brumont who put Madiran on the wine map. He left the family domaine at Boucasse in 1980, dissatisfied by his fathers lack of ambition for quality, and set up on his own. In a mere 20 years, Brumont has succeeded by a combination of breathtaking chutzpah and brilliant winemaking in creating the largest fine wine domaine in the south-west and establishing without a doubt that Tannat is a first division quality grape variety.