Michel Rolland, a French oenologist, died on March 19, 2026.
Based in Bordeaux, he had hundreds of clients across 13 countries and was known for consultancies outside France, which set him apart from most of his countrymen. His signature style was described as fruit-heavy and oak-influenced, a preference also shared by critic Robert Parker.
Born into a winemaking family in Libourne, Rolland grew up on the family estate Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol and studied at Tour Blanche Viticultural and Oenology School in Bordeaux.
Michel Rolland (24 December 1947 – 20 March 2026) was a French Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries. “It is his consultancies outside France that have set him apart from all but a handful of his countrymen.” It is frequently addressed that his signature style, which he helps wineries achieve, is fruit-heavy and oak-influenced, a preference shared by influential critic Robert Parker.