A toast to influential and controversial winemaker Michel Rolland | Canada Voices

Globetrotting wine consultant Michel Rolland, who inspired the term “flying winemaker,” passed away suddenly of a heart attack on March 20 at the age of 78. His consultancy worked with estates in Bordeaux, California, Argentina, Brazil and beyond, including prestigious names such as Harlan Estate, Screaming Eagle and Staglin Family Vineyards in Napa.

Critics have debated whether Rolland’s technical expertise improved wine quality or led to a standardized, recipe-driven approach. Jonathan Nossiter’s 2004 documentary, Mondovino, suggested his common response to clients’ questions was to “micro-oxygenate”: a winemaking technique that involves introducing small, controlled amounts of oxygen into wine as it matures in a tank. This process helps to stabilize colour, soften tannins and improve the overall mouthfeel of the wine.

While Rolland claimed not to have a signature style, his clients’ wines often featured bold, jammy flavours, soft tannins and high alcohol levels. This was achieved through careful blending of wines made from grapes allowed to ripen longer in the season, creating a “fruit bomb” character that received high praise from influential wine critics such as Robert Parker and Wine Spectator. These ratings were instrumental in shaping the market trends of the 1990s and 2000s.

“In the U.S. they are honest enough to tell you they want good ratings. They don’t want loser wines,” Rolland told The New York Times in 2006.

In B.C.’s Okanagan Valley, ambitious wineries elevate the region’s reputation

In 2004, his collaboration with Mission Hill Family Estate in West Kelowna resulted in investments in winemaking equipment to establish a winery-within-a-winery concept for red winemaking. The premium production area included a new basket press, sorting tables for individual berry selection and small wooden vats for small-batch fermentations. His guidance empowered the winemaking team to maximize the potential of their vineyards in the southern Okanagan, steering away from a one-size-fits-all approach.

Rolland was born in 1947 in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux. He grew up on his family estate, Château Le Bon Pasteur, and started a laboratory and consultancy business with his wife, Dany, nearby in 1974.

In the 1980s, his work gained international recognition, attracting clients such as Simi in California and Etchart in Argentina. Argentina became a second home for his family, especially after the Clos de los Siete project was established in the early 2000s. He partnered with Bordeaux families to develop seven vineyards on 2,000 acres in the Uco Valley of Mendoza. Each estate was designed to produce its own wine as well as contribute to the Clos de los Siete blend.

The 2021 vintage of Clos de los Siete, a malbec-based blend that shows Rolland’s exemplary polished texture as part of its age-worthy character, is available in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland, ranging in price from $20 to $30 per bottle.

Over time, sales and critical attention shifted away from Rolland’s trademark full-bodied and generous red style as the trend in the 2010s moved toward fresher, more elegant expressions. While his family sold their laboratory in 2020, they continue to advise clients around the world.