Mirassou Winery
Encyclopedia
The Mirassou Winery was a winery
, founded in 1854 by Louis Pellier (1817-72) and his brother Pierre (1823-94) in what is now known as California
's Silicon Valley
, and for many years an icon of the agricultural heritage of the Santa Clara Valley
. In 1881 Pierre Mirassou (1856-89) married Pierre Pellier's daughter Henriette (1860-1937).
The brand name "Mirassou" was purchased by wine industry giant Gallo
in 2003, and the Mirassou family no longer controls its wine making process or marketing. Instead, the wines are made in the Modesto
area, headquarters of Gallo. David Mirassou is employed by Gallo and markets the wine as a Mirassou family product. The Mirassou winery itself, in San Jose, California
, was not part of the Gallo purchase and is now boarded up.
Another scion of the family, Steven Mirassou, continues the family's six generations of winemaking in the Livermore Valley
with his wine brands, Steven Kent Winery and La Rochelle Winery. He is the only family member connected to the family winery who still owns a wine brand. Steven Mirassou purchased the La Rochelle brand from his cousins, fifth-generation family members, Daniel and Peter Mirassou in May 2005.
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
, founded in 1854 by Louis Pellier (1817-72) and his brother Pierre (1823-94) in what is now known as California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
, and for many years an icon of the agricultural heritage of the Santa Clara Valley
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a valley just south of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California in the United States. Much of Santa Clara County and its county seat, San José, are in the Santa Clara Valley. The valley was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight for its high concentration...
. In 1881 Pierre Mirassou (1856-89) married Pierre Pellier's daughter Henriette (1860-1937).
The brand name "Mirassou" was purchased by wine industry giant Gallo
E & J Gallo Winery
E & J Gallo Winery was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo in Modesto, California. E & J Gallo Winery is the largest exporter of California wines and is a large promoter of wines from Sonoma County.-History:...
in 2003, and the Mirassou family no longer controls its wine making process or marketing. Instead, the wines are made in the Modesto
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
area, headquarters of Gallo. David Mirassou is employed by Gallo and markets the wine as a Mirassou family product. The Mirassou winery itself, in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, was not part of the Gallo purchase and is now boarded up.
Another scion of the family, Steven Mirassou, continues the family's six generations of winemaking in the Livermore Valley
Livermore Valley
The Livermore Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Alameda County, California, surrounding the city of Livermore in the Tri-Valley region. Both the AVA and the city are named after Robert Livermore, a landowner whose holdings encompassed the valley. The groundwater basin underlying the...
with his wine brands, Steven Kent Winery and La Rochelle Winery. He is the only family member connected to the family winery who still owns a wine brand. Steven Mirassou purchased the La Rochelle brand from his cousins, fifth-generation family members, Daniel and Peter Mirassou in May 2005.