South America Mourns Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland passed away last week at the age of 78 in France. His death, however, was felt worldwide, particularly in the places he called home.
During my last visit to Mendoza, a friend shared a bottle of Bodega Yacochuya from Cafayate, Argentina’s northern wine region. I was intrigued to learn that its founder, Arnaldo Etchart, who at the time owned Bodegas Etchart, had invited Rolland to Argentina in 1988 to work on what would become Rolland’s first South American project. This marked the beginning of a romance with the region that would span over three decades and extend from Argentina to Chile and Uruguay.
He brought a signature style that profoundly influenced South American wines, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s. But his legacy extends far beyond style alone.
Raised in the vineyards of Pomerol, Rolland’s influence spread across wine regions in both the Old and New World—from France and Italy to the US and South Africa.
In Chile, he worked with Lapostolle in Colchagua Valley from its founding in 1994, and remained active as a consultant in Uruguay.
In addition to his work as a ‘flying winemaker,’ he created his own Argentine wines—Val de Flores and Miraflor—at Bodega Rolland, located within the Clos de Los Siete property in the Uco Valley. There, a group of producers craft individual labels while also collaborating to produce the Clos de Los Siete red blend under Rolland’s guidance.
More Than a Consultant: Michel Rolland’s Role as Mentor to South American Winemakers
Just days before his passing, Rolland was in Argentina for the harvest—38 years after crafting his first wines there. He believed deeply in Argentina’s potential for premium wines and spent his life championing that vision.
His conviction inspired an entire generation. “Michel’s greatest contribution to Argentina’s wine industry was making us truly believe in the country’s potential on the global wine stage. It wasn’t just about technique, it was about confidence,” says Marcelo Pelleriti, co-founder and chief winemaker of Pelleriti Priore, who had known Rolland for decades.
“He understood the soul of Malbec before many of us did. He didn’t just interpret it, he championed it, giving it a clear voice in international markets.”
That deep understanding shaped how he taught others to approach winemaking. When asked about the most important lesson he learned from Rolland, Pelleriti says “above all, he taught me evolution. He was always evolving, always refining, always searching for greater finesse, elegance, and truth.”
These lessons were shared by many. Over the weekend, industry leaders across South America flooded social media with tributes to Rolland, echoing Pelleriti’s sentiments about the French winemaker’s profound influence in the region. Pelleriti’s words captured what many felt: Rolland was “more than a mentor, he was a father figure in the world of wine.”
Photo credit:
- Header Image: https://www.rollandcollection.com/
- Photo: courtesy of Marcelo Pelleriti
