Pinot Noir is one of the most sought-after red wine varietals, with popularity growing over the past few decades. Originally coming from Burgundy, France, Pinot Noir is dry and has a light to medium body, with moderate acidity. In 1854, brothers Louis and Pierre Pellier, who are credited with first bringing the Pinot Noir grape to California, founded a winery. This winery was eventually known as the Mirassou Winery, named after Pierre Mirassou, who married Pierre Pellier's daughter, Henriette.
Continuing his family's heritage, sixth-generation scion Steven Mirassou owned La Rochelle Winery. The winery, which is the oldest wine club in California, was acquired by Chuck Easley in 2011. Under Easley's passionate guidance and ownership, La Rochelle has continued to grow, being named by Lux Life Magazine as the best winery experience in California in 2020, and its Pinot Noir has been recognized as the best Pinot Noir in the Americas for 2021.
According to Easley, his journey in wine was an unconventional one – he wasn't born into a winemaking family, and he started out not liking wine. When he was 21 years old, he was hired at a major biotechnology company in California, and out of curiosity, he visited one of the wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains. Easley said that when he tried the red wine, he found nothing special about it. However, the lady at the winery explained that wine is meant to be enjoyed with food as part of an event, where people gather together and enjoy.
The winemakers invited him for lunch, where the wine was paired with steak. There, Easley realized the relationship between wine and food, and how they unlock each other's hidden flavors. Suddenly, the same wine he had just very recently tasted much better, and the steak was also elevated, with each bite being as good as the last.
"The winemaker explained to me that wine is a palate cleanser," Easley says. "The acidity of white wine helps balance out the fat in the food. Red wines have acidity, so they're good with fatty things, but they also have tannin, which complements food such as steak. This knowledge stuck with me and awakened my curiosity. It was grape harvest season at the time, and the winemaker told me that wineries were looking for employees and that my background in the sciences would give me an advantage working in the lab. I was quickly hired by a winery and, 43 years later, I'm still into wine, which I fell into by accident."
"It wasn't the wine that got me into the wine industry, it was the stories that surrounded it. Our team at La Rochelle isn't just made up of wine enthusiasts; we are storytellers, guides, and companions on your wine adventure. We are here to ignite your passion for wine, to uncover hidden flavors, trigger emotions, and unlock new experiences that will enhance your life in ways you never thought possible," he adds.
After more than four decades, Easley's passion for wine has not faded – in fact, it has gotten stronger. Unlike mass-market wines, La Rochelle operates on a membership basis. According to Easley, he believes that wine appreciation is a lifelong journey, marked by exploration and rich experiences. La Rochelle's various memberships have been created to guide wine drinkers along the path of discovery, with the ultimate goal of helping them lead a bon vivant lifestyle.
"There's so many wineries that make Pinot Noir as a commodity," Easley says. "But that's not who we are. Our operating principle is to create an experience with this wine that you're never going to get anywhere else – something that is completely unique."
As part of this unique experience, wine tasting at La Rochelle is a different affair from the usual. Most wine-tasting sessions at wineries involve guests making a reservation, arriving, then sampling the wine, while the winemaker or guide just rattles off facts about the wine. Most wineries also charge a tasting fee.
In contrast, La Rochelle does not charge a fee, and, prior to guests arriving, they have to answer a questionnaire. This allows the La Rochelle team to get to know their guests and why they want to sample the wine, creating a customized experience for everyone. The team can talk about wine and food pairing, barrel aging, vineyards, how to throw a dinner party, and virtually any topic related to wine. Each experience is based on what the customer is looking for, which really ties right into the wine club's mission.
"At La Rochelle, we believe that wine is more than just a drink – it's a journey and a catalyst. It's a small but critical component of the good life, where people, settings, music, and delicious food collide to build great moments of camaraderie and connection. We are passionate about creating experiences that go beyond simply sipping on a glass of wine. We want to inspire you to explore the depths of flavor, to appreciate the artistry behind each bottle, and to create unforgettable moments with those you love."
This has resulted in an extremely high success rate for La Rochelle – between 80% and 90% of visitors sign up for the wine club, thanks to the unique experiences brought by the tasting sessions.
"The Mirassou family brought Pinot Noir to California more than 170 years ago, and that tradition is being continued by La Rochelle Wines," Easley says. "La Rochelle Winery is where every glass is an invitation to savor life's moments, where wine becomes the thread that binds us together in friendship and celebration. Your wine adventure starts here. Welcome to La Rochelle – where wine is more than just a drink, it's a way of life – the Bon Vivant Lifestyle."
