La Rochelle Winery has moved to Sonoma County
La Rochelle Winery
La Rochelle Winery is a boutique producer of small-lot (around 4,000 cases annually), hand-crafted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, emphasizing vineyard-designate expressions from premium cool-climate sites in California (Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley) and Oregon (Santa Lucia Highlands). Under winemaker Tom Stutz, the wines highlight elegant structure, bright fruit, spice, and terroir-driven complexity—think black cherry, earth, and subtle oak from French barrels—aiming for collectible, age-worthy bottles that rival the world's best. The brand's intimate tasting experiences blend family heritage with a focus on Pinot's nuanced "sense of place," appealing to enthusiasts seeking thoughtful, site-specific varietals.
La Rochelle Winery History
La Rochelle Winery traces its roots to California's pioneering Mirassou family, who began winemaking in 1854 in Santa Clara Valley after emigrating from the French port of La Rochelle (the brand's namesake). In May 2005, sixth-generation Steven Kent Mirassou—founder of Steven Kent Winery in Livermore Valley—acquired the brand and relocated production and tastings to his Livermore facility at 5443 Tesla Road. This era, under ex-Mirassou winemaker Tom Stutz, produced acclaimed vintages like the 2009 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir, blending family legacy with Livermore's Bordeaux heritage. To focus on Cabernet at Steven Kent, Mirassou sold La Rochelle to a former wine club member passionate about Pinot. In 2015, La Rochelle operations were relocated to Sonoma County to be nearer to key vineyards in the Russian River and Sonoma Coast. The winery continues today, honoring the Mirassou lineage through elevated, terroir-centric wines.
After the family sold the Mirassou name to Gallo in 2002—retaining the winery but unable to use the surname—fifth-generation cousins Daniel and Peter Mirassou launched La Rochelle as a Pinot Noir-focused label from the historic Novitiate site in Los Gatos (formerly home to Testarossa Winery).
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North American Wine Routes: A Travel Guide to Wines and Vines, from Napa to Nova Scotia
by Dan Berger and Tony Aspler
Wine writers extraordinaire Dan Berger—former Los Angeles Times columnist and Sonoma-based newsletter publisher—and Tony Aspler, the Toronto Star's longtime wine voice, team up in this panoramic passport to North America's vinous backroads. Spanning 40 meticulously mapped routes across four regions (from California's sun-drenched Livermore Valley to Nova Scotia's tidal vineyards), the book demystifies oenotourism with insider tips on tastings, labels, and direct buys, plus icons for picnic spots, family-friendly stops, and luxe lodgings.
In the Western section, Livermore shines with nods to heritage houses like Steven Kent Winery—where fifth-generation Mirassou scion Steven Kent crafts bold Cabernet Sauvignons from estate vines—and La Rochelle Winery, his Pinot Noir haven honoring the family's 1854 French roots (a brand he acquired in 2005 to revive small-lot gems from leased cool-climate sites).
The Wine Seeker's Guide to Livermore Valley
by Thomas C. Wilmer
The Wine Seeker's Guide to Livermore Valley by Thomas C. Wilmer
Featuring La Rochelle Winery (page 69)
Steven Kent Mirassou - La Rochelle Winery
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