Michel Rolland’s wines from Argentina
Mariflor
About Mariflor
The Mariflor vineyard, from which the grapes for all Mariflor wines are grown, spans 247 acres located on Michel Rolland’s 2,100 acre Clos de los Siete estate on the immense plain of Vista Flores in the Valle de Uco at the foot of the fabulous and impressive Cordillera in Argentina. Michel and his wife Dany, also an acclaimed winemaker, are personally in charge of the Mariflor portion of the estate, which lies along the western edge at its highest elevation (3300 feet), nearest the Andes. A majority of the vines, 148 acres, is dedicated to growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Mariflor also grows Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Verdot. A portion of the yield from the Mariflor vines also contributes to making Clos de los Siete wines
French winemaker and famous wine consultant Michel Rolland has earned a reputation in Argentina and around the world for his ability to find unique vineyard sites that can produce the highest quality grapes. The Mariflor vineyard has come to life based on a vision Michel and Dany had when they first laid eyes on the Uco Valley’s rocky soil and dessert climate set against the Andes peaks.
Mariflor is a Place, a Wine and a Concept that has materialized through Michel and Dany’s two decade enchantment with, and immersion in, the country of Argentina. They first set foot in Cafayate in 1988 which resulted in a close partnership with Etchart Family in YACOCHUYA estate, and over the following years, a handful of consultations led to the “Clos de los Siete” venture in southern Mendoza. The first vines were planted in 1999.
Soils are a mixture of sand and clay overlying a deep carpet of pebbles, with an aspect facing predominantly east. Water is used for irrigation (extremely controlled) and issued from the ancient groundwater generated by the Andes – this water is one of the most mineral and pure sources around the world.
Bodega Rolland Wines
Bodega Rolland
Until the 2009 vintage, the grapes of Mariflor (and of Val de Flores) were vinified at the Bodega Monteviejo (thanks to Catherine Péré-Vergé) with the collaboration of the winemaker Marcelo Pelleriti. On the “Campo “, 4 wineries were fully operational and Bodega Rolland winery was the last creation and construction. A 2 ha parcel of virgin land had been saved for this project: thousands of m3 of soil were used to flatten and level the naturally sloping land, in order to create a 3,200 m2 foundation (40m x 80m).
Construction o Bodega Rolland started in August 2009 and the winery was operational for the 2010 harvest which took place in February and March of that year.
With a winery composed of 54 small thermoregulated concrete vats, unique in the Campo, designed under the supervision of a Bordeaux specialist, and equipped to handle grapes by gravity, completed with a battery of stainless steel tanks.
- Spacious warehouse places and barrel cellars,
- 200 bordelaises type barrels renewed each year,
- Including a great deal of French technologies in the processes of grape sorting, pressuring, winemaking, ageing, air humidifying…
- Still a back-to-basics project, which aims to be functional, and built with quality materials and equipments, very operational and simple, where the ultimate goal is respecting the fruit and process efficiency throughout winemaking.
- A professional team, managed by Rodolfo and Magdalena Vallebella, oenologists, trained in our estates here in Bordeaux.
Read more at The Rolland Collection
