2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (SRP $38.00)

(Based on bottles supplied by the winery)

La Rochelle is part of the Steven Kent Portfolio of wine.

Our mission at La Rochelle is a simple one: to make California’s best, most interesting, most collectable Pinot Noir.

My family introduced the Pinot Noir grape to California in the 1850s. Today, we partner with the state’s most renowned Pinot Noir vineyards – Garys’. Sleepy Hollow. Rosella’s. Londer. Paraiso. Tondre. Ferrington. Deer Park. We craft Pinot Noir grown on these famed estates that let the individual vineyard’s terroir, its special sense of place, shine through.

My great-great-great grandfather left the French port of La Rochelle one hundred and sixty years ago on a voyage of possibilities. Our journey at La Rochelle Winery is an equally exciting one: to discover the best Pinot Noir vineyards and translate those exceptional estates into limited releases worthy of our heritage.

If your passion is Pinot, then your journey has led you to the right place… – Steven Kent Mirassou

More Winery Information

2010 La Rochelle Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard (SRP $65.00)

Ferrington Vineyard

Ferrington Vineyard is home to our only Anderson Valley Chardonnay site as of 2012. Located near Boonville, on the same side of Hwy 128 as Deer Meadow, Ferrington was originally planted in the late 1960s. The 70 acre site is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewurztraminer on decomposed sandstone and clay soils. In 2010 we entered into a contract to purchase about two tons of Robert Young clone of Chardonnay, and the first vintage yielded just over 100 cases. Ferrington was purchased by the Schoeneman family in 1997 and it has since become one of the most sought after sites in AndersonValley. We gained access to Pinot Noir from this site starting in 2012.

Technical info

The grapes were harvested for this 100% Chardonnay on October 18, 2010. This was barrel fermented and aged sur-lie for 14 months in 100% French oak barrels, 40% new.

The final alcohol is 14.6%.

Tasting note

The wine is a very light yellow to golden color. The very exotic and inviting nose has apples, flinty minerals, lemon curd, lime zest, Asian spices, hazelnuts, and a touch of toast. This has medium body and tart, citrusy acidity. Bright apples and citrus greet the palate with minerals, spice, hazelnuts pouring in over the top and from all sides. The finish is very long with the spicy, citrus driven, fruit and spice seeming to never totally fade away, leaving a nutty, lemony note. This is incredibly young at this time and will improve with some cellar time. One of the best California Chardonnay wines I’ve ever had the pleasure to drink. This is stunning. (95 pts)

2009 La Rochelle Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands (SRP $38.00)

Santa Lucia Highlands

One of the most exciting Pinot Noir appellations in the world, this slender hillside growing area extends roughly 18 miles northwest to southeast in MontereyCounty. Cooled by wind from the Pacific ocean just a mountain chain to the west and gaining ripening sun from its elevated exposures, the Santa Lucia Highlands is home to some of the most profound Pinots now being made. La Rochelle works with a number of vineyards spanning the entire length of the appellation. Each wine we produce has its own special site-driven notes. They all share, however, the passion of the people who farm them.

Technical info

This wine is 100% Pinot Noir. The vineyards used are Paraiso (31.3%), Sarmento (31.2%), White Sage (12.5%), Tondre Grapefield (12.5%), and Mission Ranch (12.5%).

The wine was aged 31 months in 100% French oak, 40% new and 60% second use.

The alcohol is 15.2%.

Tasting note

The wine is a bright ruby red color. The dark and enticing nose has cherries, earthy underbrush, wood smoke, cola, minerals, warm baking spices, black raspberries, dark chocolate, and a touch orange zest. This has medium body, ripe, velvety tannins, and very good acidity. Earthy cherries, baking spices, and minerals grab the palate initially, slowly allowing some cola, black raspberries, and spicy oak to add considerable depth. The finish has very nice length with earthy fruit and spice slowly fading away. This is very young and deserves some cellar time to open up and fill out. (92 pts)

* Shameless Self Promotion *

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.