Harlan Estate has received near-perfect scores from top journalists and is touted as one of the top Cabernet Sauvignons in the world. Another example is Ornellaia who makes Massetto, a Merlot from Tuscany that fetches upwards of $ 350 retail, if you can find it. A third is Casa Lapostolle, a Chilean winery where Michel has consulted for years: they just won No. 1 Wine of the Year from Wine Spectator magazine for their flagship wine, Clos Apalta. The impressive list goes on and on. In Robert Parker’ s Top Wines, Michel is the consultant for 22 of the wineries listed with top scores between 96 and 100 points. No other enologist has more than one wine on the list; he has 22.
In addition to his extensive consulting business, Rolland owns five wine properties in Bordeaux( Château Fontenil, Le Bon Pasteur, Bertineau St.-Vincent, Rolland-Maillet, and La Grande Clotte), two in Argentina( Val de Flores and Yacochuya), two in South Africa( Remhoogte and Bonne Nouvelle) and one in Spain( Campo Eliseo). It seems that his high profile clients get so much attention that most of his own wines— Château Le Bon Pasteur( Pomerol) and Fontenil( Fronsac) excepted— are like well-kept secrets!
At Tolaini Estate, I have watched Michel blend from over 200 barrel samples. He quickly but carefully tastes each sample, noting its special characteristics before deciding what combination, in what quantities, best creates the final blend. This is a prodigious exercise in concentration and judgment!
As we wind down our conversation, Michel tells me the story of how he met my father and came to work for Tolaini Estates.“ At a chance meeting in New York, I remember your father introduced himself and asked me,‘ Who do you work with in Italy?’ I said,‘ I work for Ornellaia’ [ undoubtedly Italy’ s top wine producer ]. Your father, looking rather sad, replied,‘ Oh that is too bad...’ I was puzzled by this answer and said,‘ Why?’ Pierluigi then said,‘ If you worked for me, I could make you famous.’” Michel and I both erupt in laughter and he says,“ I understood that this man is crazy and I like that!”
Sitting with Michel for this interview, I can attest to the fact that his charm is one of his most endearing qualities. Michel is full of laughter. As much as he tries to underscore his accomplishments with his modest wit, he is an incredibly talented enologist with a palate that is nothing less than a gift from God. �
If you would like to sample some of Michel Rolland’ s wines, ask the Banville & Jones wine experts for any of the following, currently in stock:
Château Fontenil, 2000 – 2004, Bordeaux – $ 58.99 –$ 75.99 Château Le Bon Pasteur, 2001, Bordeaux – $ 163.99 Clos de los Siete, 2007, Argentina – $ 26.41 Casa Lapostolle, 2006 Clos Apalta, Chile – $ 128.99 Château Troplong Mondot, 2007, Saint-Émilion – $ 99.99 Tolaini Estate, 2005 – 2006, Tuscany $ 29.99 – $ 139.99 Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia, 2003 – 2005, Tuscany – $ 169.99 – $ 248.99 Harlan Estate, 2005, Napa Valley – $ 841.99 Quintessa, 2005-2008, Napa Valley – $ 61.99 – $ 219.99 Bodegas Catena Zapata, 2003, Argentina – $ 114.99