Food & Drink Awards 2020

Page 8 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Food & Drink Awards When discussing the uniqueness of their of wines, Proprietor of La Rochelle Wines, Chuck Easley, has a useful analogy, relating wines to mushrooms and truffles. Whilst mushrooms can grow almost anywhere in the world, truffles are much more rare, complex, and unable to replicate. Like Pinot Noir, truffles require unique sites, climates and time to develop. It is the same with excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There are only a few rare spots on the globe where the grapes have the perfect conditions needed to create the most age- worthy and complex wines. Fortunately, La Rochelle sources their grapes from the finest vineyards of California. Combining the ideal location, clones, climate and the vineyard steward’s expertise separates La Rochelle from the pack. The unique “flavors of place,” captured by La Rochelle reflect what’s possible in California with Pinot Noir and the unique nature of the company as a whole. A small, family-owned and ultra-premium winery, La Rochelle is the proud steward of first wine club in North America, which sells the wines they create in their vineyards exclusively to their members and guests who visit the Kenwood winery. Situated in Sonoma Valley, La Rochelle Wines is the creator of an unparalleled selection of small-lot, single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Available only to their members and visitors of their Kenwood Winery, La Rochelle wines are crafted from the most sought-after vineyards in California, and allowed to develop into unique, complex and delicious wine that could not be recreated anywhere else in the world. We found out more about how avid and new wine lovers alike can sample some of Sonoma Valley’s most prestigious offerings. Sep20683 La Rochelle Wines Best Pinot Noir Winery – California & Most Renowned Sonoma Valley Wine Tasting Experience The curating of the membership experience is what has driven La Rochelle since it first started operating. Members are taken on a lifelong journey of discovery of complex, age- worthy wines that have been carefully crafted by California’s oldest producer of Pinot Noir. Learning about new wines, new appellations, winemaking techniques and so much more besides, makes La Rochelle’s membership perfect for every wine aficionado, whether they are starting their collection or adding new, unique bottles to complete their existing assortment. There are a variety of choices and experiences for members. Each of which are free to join – members only pay for the wines they receive. As a reward for their support and loyalty members receive special member pricing on all current release wines as a thank you. A good starting point on the La Rochelle journey is the Pinot Noir Experience , in which guests will receive six exclusive, small-lot, single vineyard Pinot Noirs delivered to their door. Each wine is unique, and members will become familiar with six vineyards from distinct growing regions. Members will learn how the combination of clones, fermentation and aging techniques combine to accentuate the unique flavor of place (terroir). For a variety of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the La Rochelle Experience provides a tremendous selection of Recherché Reserve Chardonnays, Recherché Reserve Pinot Noirs and Library Releases. This selection is the best way to acquaint oneself with the diversity of La Rochelle wines and to always have something unique and special in the cellar. The Recherché Reserve Pinot Noir Experience is the self-proclaimed holy grail of the La Rochelle Winery Pinot Noir Memberships, giving members access to a selection of the most sought-after Pinot Noirs. The term Recherché Reserve indicates wines in the La Rochelle portfolio that have been developed, over time, through trial and error and exhaustive research to be the finest expression of a particular vineyard. The final option is the CTB Experience , a membership completely tailored to the members’ own tastes. All members also get access to benefits such as priority access to purchase any of the wines released during the year, special pricing on all current release wines online and at the Winery, as well as the ability to purchase Library Selections at special member prices. Complimentary tasting for members and guests at the Kenwood Winery is also available alongside a variety of other benefits. Of course, the primary benefit of this exclusive membership is getting access to the unique, exquisite tastes of La Rochelle, which boasts more single Vineyard Pinot Noirs, from more appellations than any other winery in North America. Pinot Noir has the ability to produce