Madiran

Situated in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers and Pyrénées-Atlantiques, between two administrative regions (Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées), the Madiran appellation area merges with that of Pacherenc du Vic Bilh and is also part of the Béarn appellation area. The Madiran AOC was obtained by decree on July 10, 1948, and applies only to red wines made from this terroir. The Madiran vineyard covers around 1,400 hectares north of Pau.

Within the appellation, clay and limestone soils are favored by the red grape varieties that produce Madiran red wine. Soils dominated by clay and silica favor white grape varieties, the source of dry or sweet Pacherenc wines. The characteristics of Madiran are fully expressed in the crus offered by Château Montus, Château Bouscassé, Domaine Berthoumieu and Domaine Alain Brumont.

Produced in the South-West, at the crossroads of the Gers, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées departments, Madiran wines benefit from an ideal geographical location, between sea and mountains. The appellation's 1,400 ha of vineyards are planted on a rich and varied terroir. Associated with tannat, the AOC's emblematic grape variety, Madiran represents a very old wine, dark to the eye and vigorous on the palate, whose modern history is being written thanks to the commitment of bold, visionary winemakers.

Already produced in Gallo-Roman times, the vineyards were developed in the 10th century by religious congregations. On the road to Compostela, Madiran wines were already offered to pilgrims during their stops. In the 1890s, phylloxera destroyed the vineyard, but it was reborn and continued to expand throughout the 20th century.

This historic wine is characterized by a rich and varied terroir: clayey-limestone, with stony, well-drained soils, ideal for long-keeping wines; clayey, with light, filtering soils, producing supple wines. A third type of soil, made of rolled pebbles, is ideal for Madirans.

An ancient grape variety with a strong identity, tannat is predominant in Madiran AOC vineyards. Rich in anthocyanins and tannins, it lends Madiran red wines all their power and structure. It can be blended with the two Cabernets (Sauvignon and Franc), but the appellation requires that a Madiran wine contain at least 50% tannat. 

The rest of the vineyard is planted with Cabernet-Franc, Sauvignon and, to a much lesser extent, Fer-Servadou, one of the region's oldest grape varieties, now rare.

Over the years, Madiran winegrowers have adapted their winemaking methods to the wine's specific characteristics. To keep the tannins in check, they are obliged to temper the wine by ageing it in the cellar for one year before marketing. 

Producing wines of this appellation also requires mastery of barrel ageing, sometimes over long periods. This softens the tannins and gives Madirans good ageing potential (between 5 and 10 years).

In love with their terroir, some owners have advanced the art of viticulture by adapting to the constraints of their vineyards. In the early 1980s, Alain Brumont was a pioneer when he bought Château de Montus and gave a 100% tannat Madiran wine its letters of nobility. At the same time, he developed the vineyards of Château Bouscassé, a family estate, by inventing new techniques that skilfully combine tradition and modernity. At Château d'Aydie, the Laplace family adapts to the times, while continuing to keep the spirit of Madiran wines alive.

Thanks to this constant adjustment by winegrowers to the demands of their vineyards and the questioning of traditional methods of cultivation, many references have risen to the same level of world renown as certain Bordeaux crus. Following in Alain Brumont's footsteps, other talented players are contributing to the success of this appellation, such as the Bortolussi sisters at Domaine Berthoumieu or Corinne Dousseau at the head of Domaine Sergent.