In the 1920’s, the Michel Rolland family chose to implement its vineyard at the frontier of Pomerol’s great terroirs, in the locality of « Maillet » in the mythical Saint-Emilion appellation.

The 3.35 ha vineyard, composed of old vines, extends on the beautiful terroirs of the « Corbin » area.

Château Rolland-Maillet’s soils are composed of limestone, clay and gravel. The planting comprises of 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc.

The wine benefits from all the experience and know-how of Michel Rolland. It expresses the typicity of Saint-Emilion wines : a deep ruby color with a garnet rim. The nose is intense and clean, with fresh red fruit aromas, spicy touches of cedar, cocoa and toasted almond notes. On the palate the attack is sharp, the wine is full bodied and deep and the tannins are fine and soft in texture, the finish is long.

Through time, Château Rolland Maillet gains in suavity, after aging the wine will offer a bouquet of undergrowth, truffle and fine herbs.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

Everything has started rather well: abundant rainfall during winter allowed the soils to gain their water reserve. In spring flowering began in the first days of June, it was very fast and very homogeneous which was favored by perfect weather until the end of June. At this stage, expectations were high for the quality of the new vintage. Unfortunately, in the month of July, the weather was unstable and vineyards focused on their beautiful foliage rather than on the growing of the grapes. It took constant vigilance deployed early to make green harvest (leaf removal and thinning) to help the grapes to reach optimum ripeness. Then finally came the happiest ending: it was as if nature wanted to apologize! Early September the beautiful weather was with us again and lasted until the end of the harvest. We were able to wait and harvest plot by plot (a luxury we have not known for several vintages), the grapes were perfectly ripe.

PRESS REVIEW

NEIL MARTIN

87-89/100

The Château Rolland-Maillet 2014 has a rather smoky bouquet, the palate with a light bitter cherry touch on the entry, though the oak is nicely integrated with good structure on the finish. This should drink nicely over the next decade.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

87/100

This property of Michel Rolland is a tiny vineyard of just under 10 acres, planted with 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet France. Straightforward notes of black fruit (cherries and kirsch liqueur), licorice, and underbrush make for a medium-bodied, easygoing, seductive, lush mouthful of wine. Rolland-Maillet is hardly the greatest terroir in St.-Emilion, but Rolland’s brilliance has resulted in a wine that is well above average, reasonably priced and delicious. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

84/100

Soft, fruity and straightforward, this is a pleasant, adequate St.-Emilion to drink over the next 3-4 years.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

After a cold winter and a cool spring, the only fear of this vintage 2010 was during the flowering when the climate was unstable, As often, the old vines were affected by coulure and millerandage, though the damage was much less than we would have thought. The summer was not the typical summer in Bordeaux usually under a cool oceanic influence; lots of sunlight, no rain and high temperatures, however never too hot, and the nights were very fresh.

Under these ideal weather conditions and with an exceptional autumn, merlot and cabernet grapes have reached an exceptional quality of taste, rarely achieved. The grapes got richly pigmented thick skins and harmoniously flavorful juice.

The harvest of the earliest Merlots begun on September 29^th, and the last Cabernets were harvested on October 15^th. They took place under the sun with the good mood that results from an “a la carte” picking of perfectly healthy and ripe grapes.

PRESSE REVIEW

Robert Parker

87/100

This wine from the Michel and Dany Rolland family estate is always soft. It has an almost kirsch/blank cherry liqueur character with hints of licorice and loamy soil notes in an open-knit, precocious style. It is one of the least concentrated wines in the Rolland portfolio, but it is seductive, round and meant to be drunk in its first 3-5 years of life. This is an ideal style of wine for a bistro or brasserie.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

The beginning of the vintage was a bit challenging: temperatures were about the seasonal average, much more rainfall than usual, flowering in such weather conditions were not ideal, a rather strong mildew pressure was present.

The climate then changed, a week of good weather arrived, sunny but not very warm and the vine began to grow, to bloom. This is a much better result that we would have thought. We entered a period of sunlight, heat, in which everything was there but not too much: the vine loves such conditions.

Fruit set was made very well, everything went quickly, with this July, we were sure we were in summer. Then veraison took place at the last week of July.

As the old saying ‘August makes the must’ and it is so true based on our analytical results from early September. On September 14, a few Merlots were picked, then came a rainy weekend that could frighten everybody: from 30 to 80/90 mm fell very quickly, with little impact since the water has not penetrated deep in the soils. However the rain allowed the plots suffering from drought to regain vigor, what enabled the vine to fully mature fine grapes. After these rains, the weather returned to good condition. A high level of sugar was reached very early in September and did not move, while every day the taste of the skins was changing. Thanks to this great weather condition, everyone could harvest “a la carte” by picking each plot at its best maturity without any rush. What a luxury!

PRESSE REVIEW

Robert Parker

87-88/100

From Dany and Michel Rolland, this exuberant, fruity, soft, charming St.-Emilion is a hedonist’s delight. Medium-bodied, round, and plush, it is ideal for drinking during its first 5-6 years of life. (Tested once)

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

The last time we saw similar weather conditions was back in 1988. April was very cold and on the 7^th, frosts damaged the vines. May was unpleasant, rainy and cold. At the beginning of June, the flowering conditions were not good, temperatures were too cold and there was too much rain for the season. This has resulted in flower abortion and millerandage, … announcing a low yield. July was better than in 2007, but August cloudy and sad : small regular rainfalls caused constant humidity. Temperatures were below the seasonal averages. The veraison was delayed and slow, ending in the second half of August. The harvest was late, too – from the 7^th to the 20^th of October – and very selective. Winemaking was done almost entirely in new oak barrels a first!

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

86-88/100

This property of Michel and Dany Rolland is always an overachiever, producing lush, hedonistic, tasty wines characterized by their kirsch and loamy soil notes. Enjoy the 2008 over the next 5 or so years.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

Budding was a little late but a beautiful spring, with low rainfall and ideal temperatures brought us up to speed. Flowering took place at the normal date in early June. It was homogeneous and short, and stretched over one week. June was warm and sunny. At the beginning of July, a few storms compensate a small drought, the vines grew in good conditions. In late August, some rain brought the necessary moisture. Harvesting took place from September 21^st until October 10^th. Thanks to a well-mastered yield control, the grapes were picked under excellent conditions. They were full of sugar and fruit with thick skins loaded with anthocyanins and tannins, acidity was very good, and the grapes were perfectly healthy.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

87/100

From one of the estates owned by the Rolland family, this 2005 is fruit-driven, soft, easygoing, and purely made, with lots of kirsch liqueur, licorice and spice. It is medium-bodied, fully mature, and should be drunk over the next 3-4 years.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

87/100

The delicious 2004 Rolland-Maillet is made by Michel Rolland from a family property. Neither powerful nor complex, it is a deliciously fruity St.-Emilion offering plenty of sweet kirsch notes interwoven with spice and earth. Medium-bodied as well as supple-textured, it is ideal for drinking during its first 5-7 years of life.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

86-88/100

A very good effort from proprietor Michel Rolland (this vineyard sits on the other side of the road facing Pomerol from his beloved estate of Bon Pasteur), this chunky, richly fruity 2003 reveals sweet black cherry notes intermixed with balsam wood, spice box, and earth. This is always fairly priced. Drink it during its first 5-10 years of life.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

Rainfall was above the 30 year average. The temperatures were variable, climbing high up and falling far down again. Yet we needed to make the best out of it! Depruning, deleafing, green harvesting, and other selections finally gave us some good grapes which were harvested from October 2^nd to the 11^th.

PRESS REVIEW

Robert Parker

87-88/100

Loads of fruit characterize this jammy, medium to full-bodied, lush, supple-textured wine that is pure and tasty, not meant for long-term aging but for drinking during its first 7-8 years of life.

WEATHER CONDITION OF THE VINTAGE

The month of April was particularly hot and humid. May and June were hot and moderately rainy, with fifteen cooler, wetter days. August and early September, were very hot and dry. These conditions were favorable for precocity: the flowering and veraison were relatively rapid and homogeneous. In general, the warm and dry weather in August allowed for a very good maturation, with the exception of the sandy plots that suffered from significant water stress. Harvesting took place from September 25th to October 4th. The grapes were of very high quality with thick skins, they were rich in phenolic compounds, and sugar contents were high.

PRESSE REVIEW

Robert Parker

88/100

Probably the finest effort I have ever tasted from this estate, the 2000 has a deep ruby/purple colour and loads of jammy black cherry fruit infused with licorice and a hint of cocoa. The wine is well made, pure, lush, and just a sensual, hedonistic turn-on. Drink it over the next 8-10 years.