August 26, 2005

End of an era

Mirassou family closes Evergreen-based winery;
Public auction to be held Sept. 10

By Bea Baechle
Editor

Aug. 27 marks the end of 150 years of winemaking in Evergreen.

The Historic House where all of La Rochelle’s gourmet dinners were held was built in 1924. The winery was built in 1937. The wheels are in motion to designate these building as city landmarks.

La Rochelle Winery, located on the historic Mirassou family winery site at Aborn Road and Ruby Avenue, closes its doors to the public at 4 p.m. that day for the last time. Winemaking and wine tasting will move to Livermore on Sept. 1.

Jim, Daniel and Peter Mirassou, representing the fifth generation of the oldest winemaking family in America, began their boutique wine label “La Rochelle” at the Evergreen site after the sale of the Mirassou brand to the Gallo family in 2002.

They are the great, great grandsons of Pierre Pellier, an illustrious figure who helped establish the prune and vineyard industries in Santa Clara Valley. The family’s first vineyards were established circa 1854 in the Evergreen foothills, very near the present day family site.

Daniel and Peter plan to play a smaller role in La Rochelle’s day-to-day operations in Livermore, and brother Jim passed away on July 30, 2004.

Former partner Steve Mirassou, also representing the fifth generation of Mirassou winemakers, left the Evergreen Valley 21 years ago to found Tamás Estates Winery in Livermore with Iván Tamás Fuezy. Steve and his son Steven, who owns the Steven Kent Winery in Livermore, plan to combine efforts to continue the legacy of La Rochelle.

Steve sold Tamás Estates to Wente Vineyards, so this winery located next to Steven Kent Winery will be vacated by Sept. 1, making way for La Rochelle to occupy its separate wine tasting room and production area.

Public Auction Sept. 10
The owners of La Rochelle Winery auctioned off much of the winery’s excess production equipment on April 6. Now the remaining assets will be sold in a public auction on the premises located at 3000 Aborn Road, San Jose, on Saturday, Sept. 10, beginning at 10 a.m.

This includes restaurant equipment, catering equipment, wine barrels and racks, office furniture, copiers, computer equipment, seasonal decorations, tables, chairs, barbecues, tote bins and conference room memorabilia. The phone system, PA equipment, a forklift and much more will also be auctioned off.

For more information, call (408) 274-4000 or send an e-mail to info@10bid20.com.

Future of the buildings
There’s no doubt that the land, owned by the Mirassou Family Trust, will eventually be sold to a developer. The fate of the buildings on the land—the winery built in 1937 and the Heritage House built in 1924—is much more murky.

As reported in the Evergreen Times in May, the site was identified as a Candidate City Landmark nearly 15 years ago. The city’s Planning department, however, never received the supporting historical documentation that goes into that identification. Thus the site was never landmarked, and it is not listed as such on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory.

According to Rabia Chaudry, Councilmember Dave Cortese’s chief of staff, the Planning department is still in the process of determining the historic significance of the site, but there are no major milestones to report at this time.

Surrounded by open vistas and 30 other wineries, La Rochelle Winery will be open from noon to 4:30 p.m. every day at 5443 Tesla Road, Livermore, Calif., 94550. For more information, call (925) 456-2357.

Aug. 28: Final Evergreen Farmers Market of 2005

The last Evergreen Farmers’ Market of the season will be held at La Rochelle Winery on Sunday, Aug. 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. According to Adriana Cota in Councilmember Dave Cortese’s office, a new site for 2006 has not yet been finalized.