Is my Montana dead?

[noarguments]

Clematis Montana - only planted last year (early summer I think), grew well over sunny wall. Has now gone completely brown and dead looking right down to the ground.
I know it buds on last year's growth, but will it really bud on dead looking branches? Do I leave it to do its thing or cut it right back so it concentrates on rejuvenating itself from the roots?
Thanks oh wise ones.

[noarguments]

Good tip re the finger nail. Will try when its not tipping it down!
Thanks both.

[aircooled]

Scrape the stems with your fingernail - if you can see green underneath it's not dead! Best time to prune is after flowering, thin out the stems so it doesn't become a tangled mess. (I should follow my own advice, had to butcher a lovely dark-leaved one that had become too overgrown. No flowers last last year but looking forward to this spring...)

[CointreauVersial]

Too early to condemn it! Clematis is often quite late to bud. Many have been dug up by gardeners who didn't wait!