Michel Rolland creates charity wine for Bordeaux Oxygene

Michel Rolland, the world’s most prolific wine consultant, has helped create a special charity wine for the 18 members of the wine group Bordeaux Oxygene.

Rolland, whose daughter Michelle is one of the 18-strong group, blended wines of the 2005 vintage from all its member chateaux, including Clos Fourtet in St Emilion and Chateau Thieuly in the Bordeaux Superieur region. Wine from Chateau Nairac was the only one left out of the blend as it produces sweet white Suaternes.

‘It’s a blend, but not in the usual sense of the word as it is equal parts of 17 properties,’ Michel Rolland told decanter.com. ‘But it’s amusing that even with this diverse number, the end result is actually very good.’

The 2005 vintage was chosen not only because of its quality, but also because it was the year that Bordeaux Oxygene was formed.

The wine will be called Oxygen and bottled as a Vin de Table due to French regulations. It will be sold at auctions from October 2007.

‘We are planning to sell it during special charity events in London, New York and Tokyo, ‘ Severine Bonnie of Chateau Malartic Lagraviere told decanter.com, ‘We will be bottling 80 double magnums in total.’

Bordeaux Oxygene is a group of young winemakers from throughout the region. It was formed in order to promote the wines of the region and to get away from the sometimes stuffy image of Bordeaux.

Last year, Michel Rolland created a similar charity wine with Michel Chapoutier, M², that was also bottled as a Vin de Table and sold through a charity auction. The final tranche of the wine is due to go on sale in a few weeks.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux