Michael Speers

I first met Michael at a dinner Tom Hayes was cooking at La Roche house in Belfast. He had just returned from Paris, and mentioned during his time in France he had produced a single barrel of wine at the breathtaking Caves Cathédrales, a vast troglodyte cave in the Drôme.

Originally from County Down, Michael is often on the road, either performing his solo work or touring/recording with collaborators, most recently Maria Somerville - whose latest album Michael played on - and Olan Monk. Between 2022 and 2024, the budding artist based himself in Paris, where he became ensconced with a group of musicians who shared his love of wine. Frequenting the famous bistros and bars of the city, Michael got to know Antonin Roux, himself a composer, and Aymard Caillol, who runs a Marseille winebar. The pair had just established Vins Mercuriales, a micro-négociant project based in the Drôme. Michael became a regular at ‘Les Instants Chavirés’ legendary experimental music venue in Montreuil, whose owners, Philippe Bacchetta and Thierry Schaeffer, had assembled an impressive cellar of wines since opening in 1991. Michael’s interest deepened, a feeling many of us are familiar with, and spent the following Autumns helping Antonin and Aymard at their cellar in the Drôme. When presented the opportunity, Michael bought some fruit himself, and was offered a small spot at the cellar where he could vinify his first micro cuvée, Liath.

Michael brought cask samples of the wine back to Ireland, which I had the chance to taste with him during a trip to Belfast earlier this year, at the city’s infamous Menagerie bar. The wine was bottled and labelled in early 2026, and was shipped to Ireland in Spring. On tasting, I remarked to Michael that he had benefitted from beginners luck, but should this considerate artist maintain his form through the vintages to come, we are certainly in for a treat.