A bargain red - no, a steal - from off the path in France

If the term "noble" applies to the famous grape varietals of France, then we'd like you to meet an unsuspected blue-blood: the tannat grape of Madiran, a vest pocket size appellation in the Southwest of France not far from Bordeaux. At the same time, let us introduce you to a master of tannat, Alain Brumont, owner and winemaker of Château Montus, whose 2001 cuvée ranks among the best red-wine bargains in all of France.

"Tannat simply gives you everything," declares Brumont with paternal pride, in a conversation with Elie Wine Company. "Fruit, acidity, alcohol, color - it's all there. Wine made from the tannat is very fruity, but never heavy, and always clean and fresh. You catch that immediately in the aromas of cassis and leather."

The 2001 Château Montus is a beautiful example. And no wonder, says Brumont: "The vintage was the best for us in 20 years." He pauses, then adds: "Maybe the best ever."

Brumont learned long ago that tannat thrives in new oak. It has the structure and concentration to absorb the flavor component of oak without losing its own character. Yet Brumont also discovered that his grand grape benefited from blending with cabernet sauvignon, which he does typically in a ratio of 80 percent tannat to 20 percent cab.

"When you think of how cabernet sauvignon is used in Bordeaux, almost always as the dominant grape but blended with merlot to soften the cabernet, then what we do sounds ironic," explains Brumont. "We use the cabernet to soften the tannat!"

The result is a stunning wine that fills the mouth with plush textures and satisfies the palate with loads of fruit. The 2001 Montus is already irresistible, though Brumont notes that it will continue to evolve for a decade.

"We've changed slightly the way we vinify our wines, to make them more approachable younger," he says. "Still, we encourage our customers to lay bottles back and taste them regularly to see how they're developing. And always, this is wine to enjoy with food - especially with red meat, a good steak."

Now for the really good news. We were so charmed by the 2001 Château Montus that we placed a super-size order, allowing us to offer you a price utterly belies the quality. Some day when the world wakes up to Montus, the price almost certainly will take a steep rise; but for now, we can offer this wine for $276 per case, which works out to $23 per bottle. And this, dear friends, is indeed wine to stock up by the case.