October 24, 2005

Mirassou Winery site under consideration for
Historic Resources Inventory

By Dave Cortese
Special to the Times

The Mirassou story exemplifies true Americana. Pierre Pellier sailed from France to the United States in 1854, with his wife at his side and select Bordeaux grape cuttings securely tucked away in his bags for future germination in sunny California.

He indeed laid roots here, both for his vineyard and his family, and what started as an immigrant tale has blossomed, literally, into a unique and wonderful treasure in our own Evergreen.

First generation Pierre and Henriette Pellier married in 1854 and sailed from France with their precious grape cuttings searching for the best California could offer in Evergreen Valley.

Pellier’s daughter, Hen-rietta, found her own Pierre—Pierre Mirassou, a neighboring French immigrant vintner. The two married and the happy couple bore fruit—grapes for a world-renowned winemaking business and vineyard and several generations of Mirassous, many of who still reside in Evergreen.

The legacy of America’s oldest winemaking family is ever-present in Ever-green. The 1924 original residence of Pellier’s grandson, Peter Mirassou, sits near the corner of Aborn Road and Ruby Avenue.

Known as the “Heritage House,” it is of Mediter-ranean Revival architecture with a tile roof and stucco siding. Also on the property are aging cellars, the wine tasting room, a storage/distribution warehouse and winemaking equipment. The 1937 original winery building also remains intact, although altered.

The 1993 Environmental Impact Report for the Evergreen Specific Plan—the area bounded roughly by Quimby, Aborn, Mont-elena, Adelanto, Fowler, Mackin Woods, Mont-gomery Hill and Yerba Buena/Murillo—made particular mention of the remaining 15 or so acres of the Mirassou property.

The EIR concluded, “Based on the long history of the Mirassou family’s involvement in the winemaking business in Evergreen, and the integrity of the existing winery complex, the Mirassou Winery qualifies as a ‘Candidate City Landmark.’ The EIR recommends that the original residence (known as the ‘Heritage Room’), the original winery buildings, and a portion of the vineyards be retained and the existing winery equipment be photographically documented prior to removal.”

The first step toward seeing the Mirassou Family heritage preserved has been taken. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, the City of San Jose’s Historic Landmarks Commission will consider the addition of the 15-acre Mirassou Winery Site to the City of San Jose’s Historic Resources Inventory.

This meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, located at 200 E. Santa Clara St. in room W118-119. This meeting is open to the public and interested parties can speak during the public comment section. It is vitally important to attend and register your support for this preservation action. Should the HLC decide to add this property to the Inventory, we can next work on the process for designating these structures as official city landmarks.

We are quite fortunate to live in District 8. From corner to corner it is laced with history, but my fear is that we are rapidly becoming removed from these important pioneers and innovators.

Please help me in working for the preservation of the Mirassou Winery site so that it can continue as a symbol of the immigrant experience and the industriousness of Evergreen’s early settlers. For more information, please contact Rabia Chaudhry in my office at (408) 535-4908.