Rolland & Galarreta

Rolland & Galarreta is the improbable pairing of Javier Galarreta, the Basque entrepreneur behind the Spanish wine group ARAEX Grands, and Michel Rolland, the French consultant winemaker so widely credited — and blamed — for shaping the modern, ripe, oak-driven style of red wine that he has become a character in wine documentaries in his own right.

The project began in 2010 with 25 hectares at the heart of Rioja Alavesa: a south-facing 15-hectare block in Labastida, 8 hectares in Elvillar, and 7 hectares climbing the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria between Samaniego and Leza. It has since expanded into Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Priorat, and Jerez, but Rioja Alavesa remains its home ground.

Whatever one thinks of Rolland's reputation as wine's most travelled consultant, pairing him with a partner who actually farms this specific patch of the Basque Country is a more interesting bet than the usual flying-winemaker arrangement.