Meet our Winemaker

"There's no such thing as a 'winemaker.' Wine makes itself. The key is to monitor the process every step of the way so that you make the best decisions to allow it to do its own thing. You can't force it." -- Christian Roguenant

Hailed by the Wine Spectator as a winemaker to watch, Christian Roguenant joined the Rosenthal - The Malibu Estate team in 1996 when George Rosenthal invited him to help create wines that reflect the unique terroir and climate of Malibu.

Christian designs balanced wines that may be enjoyed young but can also age twenty years or more in the bottle. He believes in a hands-on approach to winemaking, going out to check the grapes regularly during the growing season. "Wine is very complex, with hundreds of different aromatics. One can enhance it," he says, "but quality is dictated by the vineyard." That's one reason Rosenthal - The Malibu Estate wines are so distinctive: Christian allows the character of the unique terroir and microclimate to shine through. The wine speaks for itself.