In the cellars of Patriarche

Castel, based in Bordeaux and the former owner of Oddbins, is reported to have bought Patriarche, family owned (Boisseaux) and leading Burgundy négoce based in Beaune. The deal is thought to be between 75-85 million euros with the Boisseaux family keeping the châteaux of Meursault and Marsannay as well as the Athénaeum in Beaune.

Castel is also now one of the leading négociant companies in the Loire with a vast bottling and storage plant at La Chapelle-Heulin.

Castel's site@La Chapelle Heulin under construction

Read more here.

(24 September 2008)

Plan of the site – old vendangeoir in left hand corner

Some pictures of the construction of Castel's monumental wine factory at La Chapelle Heulin in the Pays Nantais. Overshadowing the old vendangeoir of Marcel Sautejeau, the new building, which will include warehousing and bottling, covers some 4.5 ha. The Loire has never seen its like before. The Castel Group bought two Loire négociants, Friedrich and Sautejeau-Beauquin, in 2007.

I trust Castel runs this operation better than it did the UK Oddbins wine merchant retail chain. Castel recently sold Oddbins after reporting losses of £8.6 million last year.