For the Brumonts, the culture of wine rhymes with the culture of the mind. A meeting with Alain Brumont a few months before the Soirées Impériales, which will showcase the history of taste. Art is omnipresent in the Brumont household. Theater with the Nuits Impériales, scheduled every summer at Château Montus. Music with the Offerrande musicale, which this year will once again feature a concert by Yaron Herman. Architecture with a building reworked by Edmond Lay and gardens designed by the great landscaper Gilles Clément. Not to mention the sculptures that line the gardens of Château Bouscassé, created by artists who have given new life to truncated trees. Interview with Alain and Laurence Brumont who explained the place of art in the heart of the vineyards.
What is the place of art alongside wine?
Today, when people come from all over the world, since we receive visitors from more than fifty countries, they are first interested in the terroir. That is, the geology, the climatology, and the particularities of the place. And we must be on a par with the product, which is the first between Burgundy and Bordeaux. Culture came very naturally to allow us to communicate with and about our region, about the terroir. To make the neurons in our stomachs work with those above. The product must be in balance with the structure and the site. Bordeaux and Burgundy have centuries of history. Here, we only have 50 vintages to begin to build ourselves.
Is the show a communication tool about wine for you?
No, it has nothing to do with wine promotion. Nothing. We serve restaurateurs, wine merchants, and individuals who need to have the leader in their home to be credible. So, promotion is very simple for us: you have to be the first. The show doesn't bring us customers. They're already convinced. But they're happy to return to this place, to explore it with all five senses. And the following year, to come back with friends or family to share this moment.
How did art come to you?
The idea for the Nuits Impériales came from a request from the department, from the Academy, to organize a small event for middle schools to talk about the empire that was on the program. I said no to the small event in favor of creating an event that would be worthy of the place and the people. And off we went. We found very competent people who had worked at the Gavarnie Festival and who were interested in the place. And all it took was a look at our history to find three brothers at Château Montus who had made three generals. It's become a show that resonates with audiences and the region. For the past four years, we've continued to explore themes that speak to our region, its products, its wine, and its people. We're outdoors, there's the castle, the stars—it's magical! And then, theater is like our profession; it's the absolute truth.
How are these Imperial Nights created?
I chose a theme that revolves around our rich history and this premier gastronomic region. We work with Bruno Spiesser and Frédéric Garcès, who create an extraordinary show that resonates with the setting. And then there are other things surrounding it: tours, and gastronomy. This year, we've set the bar very high, between Carême, who invented cuisine, and Michel Gérard, to whom we pay homage because he's the most brilliant of chefs.
There's also the Musical Offering, which is coming to you!
We're in high demand, so I'm choosing it. The Musical Offering interested me because it's a high-quality event. And because the festival focuses on a cause I support: that of children with disabilities. When David Fray came to talk to me about it, I said yes right away. And we're also very involved in this concert.
The idea for the Nuits Impériales came from a request from the department, from the Academy, to organize a small event for middle schools to talk about the empire that was on the program. I said no to the small event in favor of creating an event that would be worthy of the place and the people. And off we went. We found very competent people who had worked at the Gavarnie Festival and who were interested in the place. And all it took was a look at our history to find three brothers at Château Montus who had made three generals. It's become a show that resonates with audiences and the region. For the past four years, we've continued to explore themes that speak to our region, its products, its wine, and its people. We're outdoors, there's the castle, the stars—it's magical! And then, theater is like our profession; it's the absolute truth.
How are these Imperial Nights created?
I chose a theme that revolves around our rich history and this premier gastronomic region. We work with Bruno Spiesser and Frédéric Garcès, who create an extraordinary show that resonates with the setting. And then there are other things surrounding it: tours, and gastronomy. This year, we've set the bar very high, between Carême, who invented cuisine, and Michel Gérard, to whom we pay homage because he's the most brilliant of chefs.
There's also the Musical Offering, which is coming to you!
We're in high demand, so I'm choosing it. The Musical Offering interested me because it's a high-quality event. And because the festival focuses on a cause I support: that of children with disabilities. When David Fray came to talk to me about it, I said yes right away. And we're also very involved in this concert.
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