Noelle and Michel Keating: Bourgueil's newest garagistes

 Michael Keating, with his wife Noelle, the new 

proprietors of 0.123 hectares of Bourgueil

Michael as standing at the northern end of the parcel. 

In October 2017 CRM and I visited with Michael Keating their prospective vineyard purchase.  So we are very pleased that the deal has gone through today.

Their new vineyard is in the commune of Restingé just to the west of the small road that leads northwards from the main D35, that runs east west through the appellation. The land is just up from Domaine Catherine and Pierre Breton but before you reach the Caslot family at Domaine de la Chevalerie.  

The vines are just at the top end of the gravel soils and the base of the limestone coteaux. These vines used to belong to Pierre-Jacques Druet, who sadly went bust in March 2016. A great shame as Pierre-Jacques was a very good producer but not a good financial manager and he became an unreliable supplier.  

After a life spent mainly abroad in the financial world, Michael and Noelle have retired to the town of Bourgueil turning their holiday home into a permanent one. They have become very involved in the vinous life of Bourgueil

Noelle and Michael will be partnered by Aurélien Revillot, an impressive young producer who has just over 2.5 hectares of vines. Aurelien works for the Caslots during the week. 

The plan is to grub up the existing vines and replant. The photos show that the present vines are in a poor state of repair.  

 At the northern end of the parcel

 The 2017 crop wasn't harvested this year

 

 Looking northwards up the plot