i. Biography
From Libourne to Pomerol, Saint-Émilion and Lalande de Pomerol, Michel Rolland’s route gathered speed in 1979, when he took on management of Château Le Bon Pasteur and other family estates. From there it stretched across Bordeaux, Napa Valley, California, Tuscany and into Pangaea, the Bordeaux blend he presents as his Wine of the World.
Early Years
Born on 24 December 1947 in Libourne, France, Rolland is French. He put the scale of Bordeaux in emphatic terms: "Bordeaux is one of the most important appellation territories, if not the most important in the world. We are talking about 115,000 hectares of vineyards." In 1979, he became manager of family estates at Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, France. The same year also brought management of Château Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Émilion, France, and Château Bertineau St-Vincent in Lalande de Pomerol, France.
Making a Name
His career history includes Harlan Estate, Araujo and Dalla Valle in Napa Valley, United States. It also includes Château Figeac and La Conseillante in Bordeaux, France. Screaming Eagle in California, United States, is also part of his career history. So is Ornellaia in Tuscany, Italy, extending the route beyond France and the United States. The craft notes attached to Rolland are specific. His specialty includes blending skills and micro-oxygenation. His clients’ wines often showed a glossy, polished and generous feel with copious, hedonistic cores of fruit. His philosophy favored late-picked grapes, which he believed made softer, more appealing wines with plenty of character.
The Present
The broadest expression of that blending mind is Pangaea. The wine is a Bordeaux blend drawn from Napa Valley Cabernet, Stellenbosch Cab Franc, Mendoza Malbec, Castilla-La Mancha Petit Verdot and Right Bank Merlot. Seen in sequence, the path is direct and expansive at once: a French figure born in Libourne; a 1979 family-estate manager at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Château Rolland-Maillet and Château Bertineau St-Vincent; then a figure whose listed career crosses Napa Valley, Bordeaux, California and Tuscany. The through-line is a repeated set of decisions about ripeness, texture, oxygen and blend.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Michel
What is Michel Rolland doing now?
Since 1979, Michel Rolland has been tied to management of family estates led by Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, with blending skills central to his work.
Where else has Michel Rolland worked?
His career history includes Harlan Estate, Araujo, Dalla Valle, Château Figeac, La Conseillante, Screaming Eagle and Ornellaia.
Where did Michel Rolland begin their career?
The defining early turn came in 1979, when he became manager of family estates at Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, France.
