Tempted to keep this hidden gem of a winery to myself, but it's too good not to share! We found this winery through our GEMS membership via AXR in Napa. It's rare that I'm able to find a place where I love every wine poured - but La Rochelle truly hit the mark!!! EXPECT: Prior to our visit, my husband and I answered a few questions online (ex: our current knowledge of wine, what topics interested us like clone varietals or appellations) and La Rochelle customized the tasting to our interests. I wish every winery did this - it made our tasting so much more enjoyable knowing that they knew our expectations! VISIT: We had requested to sit outside, and even though it was a chilly day they made us comfortable with cozy blankets and heaters. I love that they made every effort to help us sit outside & have the experience we were aiming for. We were the only visitors and loved the intimate experience sitting in their back garden complete with chickens & a wine cat! WINE: In regards to the wine itself, superb! Their Pinot Noirs & Chardonnays are small lot, single vineyards. Every Pinot was different than the last and it was such a treat to taste a Pinot Meunier and their special Pinot Noir Polyphony. We left with a bottle of 2018 Pinot Noir from the Bacigalupi Vineyard. Our host was so knowledgeable and we really enjoyed our conversations with him. It's clear the owner, Chuck, is passionate about wine. This is one of my favorite wineries in Sonoma (good wine, good value, and good people!) - will likely join their wine club and 1000% will be going back & bringing friends! read more

La Rochelle Winery - rows of vines in a vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

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La Rochelle is such a wonderful little winery in Kenwood and has always provided an exemplary experience every time I've visited. They are located off of a side street, rather than the main road, but are worth a visit all the same. Their "hidden" location makes the experience feel casual, relaxing, and quaint. At the entrance to the lot, you'll see a blue vehicle and the LaRochelle logo, so you'll know you're in the right place. Parking is plentiful in front of the grapes. As you enter the building, you'll see a counter on your way in, as well as a collection of Library wines. In the back, where you'll sit for your tasting, it is a serene farmhouse feel. There is ample seating at picnic tables, etc. and while tasting, you'll enjoy the sounds of water trickling from the koi pond on the property. In fact, you'll feel as if you're in a friend's backyard, rather than at a winery. The croquet course and wide open grassy area further enforces that vibe. And how could one forget about the chickens! They have a few chickens on the property that occasionally have been roaming on our visits, but usually are in the coop. The owner's dog also occasionally makes an appearance. The wines are delicious and the staff is knowledgeable about the tasting notes and growing details of each wine. My parents are members at this winery, so I've been several times, and they are PHENOMENAL at making their members feel at home. In fact, they even just held a complimentary Member appreciation event where they provided an extravagant "make your own wreath" event, complete with fresh eucalyptus, pine, and all the decoration options you could possibly imagine, as well a turkey and mashed potato meal. read more

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this high-touch, relationship-first winery for as part of her birthday celebration. Maggie is amazing, the wines are delicious, the property with chickens and koi pond is lovely. Best of all, their new cat Gris Gris is adorable. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Gris Gris the cat. - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

Something special for everyone! Our server, who will not be named gave us special attention and made us feel like VIPs!! When you go to wineries, you expect wine...duh...but rarely do you get an education. Our server gave us both of these, which created a fantastic experience! We laughed...no one cried...OK maybe a few tears when we had to leave!! Wines to buy/taste: Pinot Noir Rosella---I'm still Dreaming of you! Pinot Noir (Mariah Vineyard)---Mariah on fire...tasty! Pinot Meunier--Step up your pinot game and talk about a wine that rarely gets talked about, until now! I bought 2 bottles!! Oh, and look out for the Rosters and chickens!! My dog Austin just loved watching them. read more

Maggie is amazing! She creates very memorable tasting experiences. We love the surprise favorites in our wine club shipments. Can't recommend reservations here more. Go today! read more

So thrilled to see this place has a solid 5 stars - they undoubtedly deserve it. Went here with my buddy Bob mid-afternoon on a Saturday a few weeks ago. Love this place - it's off the beaten path in Kenwood (not far off the beaten path). There's a cool old blue truck that sits at the entrance. Remember that before you drive past it. Beautiful atmosphere - you walk through one of the barrel rooms to the back patio. They have this cool wooden bar set up and everyone is very cool here with excellent customer service. Jill was or should I say is - OUTSTANDING. Excellent knowledge of the wines and history - La Rochelle used to be in the East Bay. And she had the friendliest attitude and winning smile (my pictures). Felt like we were old friends. We also met and talked to her son, Ryan, was also very cool and insightful. They have an exceptional variety of Chardonnays (6) and Pinot Noirs (17 or so WOW). I loved all of it - and just because you don't love every wine a place has doesn't mean there isn't a market for it - as we all have different palates. Each different style represented the best of the vineyard it came from. None of the Pinots were the overly jammy style - more so elegant and refined berries - ripe cherries and raspberries with layered complexities and depth. A truly fantastic tasting - Must Go Back! read more

La Rochelle wines are definitely some of the best in wine country! The experiences are beyond delightful for costing guests from out of town and locals alike. Chuck is definitely a warm friendly owner and certainly knows his wines. If you get the opportunity call and schedule and experience read more

a wonderful relatively new winery tasting room in our area. The facility itself is quite fantastic - so tastefully done, lovely picnic area with seating tastings or a small fine tasting bar. Our server was Colleen and she was fun, knowledgable and a real joy. We had a few whites and a few reds and all were good - while their El Coro Pinot was superb - we just had to take some home. Small production handled with great care - prices are on the medium high-side but well worth it. Do visit - you will not be disappointed! read more

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A wonderful experience to visit and taste their Pinots. They made us feel welcome and comfortable. Thanks, Jack, Jesse and Chuck. And visit cute doggie Sophia. read more

By far the best experience I've had wine tasting in months. Maggie is an exceptional host, extremely knowledgeable, and just a delight to be with. Working in the wine industry I go tasting often, I would recommend La Rochelle to everyone looking for great wine and a great experience. Amazing pinot noir and chardonnays, I will be back! Ask for Maggie :) read more

This place is amazing. The owner led our private group through an extensive tasting of Pinot noir for my wife's 30th birthday. He is very knowledgeable and makes really fantastic wines that are sold at a great price point. We went to a lot of wineries and vineyards on our trip and this experience was by far the best. Do yourself a favor and go here! read more

Chuck is an awesome guy who clearly is in love with Pinot Noir. The winery could not be more charming. There are chickens running around, the exterior is barn-like and charming but inside is a bonafide tasting room with a gorgeous outdoor area in the back. Experience-wise, the place is aces. The service is friendly, the pours generous enough and the knowledge imparted was worth the price of admission. And the wine? Superb. We walked out with a couple of bottles. They are SMALL so you might want to call ahead but I'm sure you will be accommodated. It's a "must visit" in Sonoma in my book. read more

Honestly, I never give 5 star reviews. However, this winery deserves it. I was first introduced to La Rochelle and the great winemaker, Chuck, many years ago when they were part of Steven Kent in Livermore. I rarely get up to the Kenwood area, but, boy, was I not disappointed making the impromptu trip and crashing the winery. While this place is appointment only (my bad for not realizing that), the ever so pleasant, nimble, and simply one of the most lovely people I've ever met, Maggie, greeted us with a smile and was super flexible to provide us with the best wine tasting experience without any notice. She quickly adapted, learned our flavor profile, and introduced us to a very personalized, private tasting experience of some of the BEST Pinot's I've ever had. We took a visually mental tour of each winery while tasting each one's own particular complexities. Although it was too windy to see the chickens out back, Gri-Gri, the house winery cat, joined us during our private tasting experience. Simply the best visit we had the entire trip. Great venue, great wine, good vibes, and did I mention, Maggie?! Yep, I was hook, lined, and sunk - walked away a club member with 4 absolutely amazing wines. Highly recommend finding this lil hidden gem. Be warned: you might be forever ruined by any other tasting experience, though... naturally, in a good way read more

This was the most down-to-earth, relaxing winery experience in Sonoma! La Rochelle is very intimate, tucked away on a quiet road in Kenwood. Be on the lookout for the blue truck out front! The entrance is very unassuming. But out back, the grounds are paradise. This would be my dream backyard, with bocce ball, a lush koi pond, inviting picnic tables and a fun, friendly feel. Mamie was our amazing host at La Rochelle, and she was so much fun! She was very knowledgeable about the wines, kept the wine flowing and even let us sample some of the grapes. We tried a couple of Pinot Noirs. The highlight was the 2012 Pinot Meunier... amazing! I bought two bottles. One bottle made it about 5 hours before I had to open it. The second bottle is being saved for a special occasion. It's a really yummy wine. If you're looking for a very relaxing, laidback winery experience with great wines, look no further. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Loved their koi pond! - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

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La Rochelle Winery is a quaint little winery that is unpretentious and has outstanding point noirs. you are able to sit and enjoy the wines in an unhurried fashion. It has beautiful surroundings - a koi pond, shaded areas, with farm appeal and a resident rooster. We also got a chance to meet chuck, the owner, and Sophie, the owner's, fluffy brown dog. Liz, our host, made us feel welcome the moment we got there and sat with us to explain wines and shared some of her personal favorites. Overall, we had a wonderful experience. Wines are small production and coming from Russian River, Santa Lucia, Mendocino, Petaluma and all delicious. During these covid times, we felt safe- everyone wore a mask, no crowds, lots of open areas and spaced out. If you want to have a relaxed wine tasting experience and like pinots, this is a perfect place There are lots of wineries in the Sonoma area, but this is the types of small businesses that we should support. Highly recommended and will definitely be coming back! read more

We rolled by La Rochelle on our Sonoma Crush tasting tour and were very impressed by the quality of their wines. Their chardonnay and pinot noir wines were amazing reflecting the terroir and extreme care from the wine makers. The only problem is their wines are fairly pricey at $50-100/bottle. Hopefully we will stumble on a sale one day and stock up. Staff are knowledgeable and helpful. read more

Fantastic experience here. We toured a # of wineries and had a varied experience. La Rochelle was by far the best experience we had here in Sonoma. Cannot say enough positive things about this winery and especially our guide Maggie. Maggie is the complete package! - affable, friendly, knowledgeable, and so pleasant. Strongly recommend! Will definitely be back- especially for Maggie and the Pinot Noirs! read more

This wine pretty much is it! Some Old, yet younger friend dropped this off for me. Thank you CHUCK! read more

La Rochelle Winery - This pretty much says it all on what is going oh at LaRochelle! It Will Not Get Any Better! - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

Nice smaller winery. Good service. Decent wine. It was my friends bday. They let us sit at the wine club member table only. Overall, good times. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

The folks here were really easy to work with in planning my birthday party, and they were very gracious in hosting us in their beautiful, small backyard tasting area. The venue has a nice patio area with some croquet and cornhole. My two-star review comes from the wines that we tasted. I don't know how this venue received so many five-star reviews; maybe they were poured other wines than what we were offered in our tasting, but my group and I were largely not impressed. We definitely preferred the wines next door at Landmark Vineyards. I also appreciate that hosting large groups can be challenging for small tasting rooms, but the original $30/pp tasting fee seemed very high versus the walk-in tasting fee of $20/pp. read more

I love this place! Fantastic Pinot and friendly people. They really have a passion for what they do and it shows in the creation of their many beautiful Pinots (and Chardonnays). Delicious! Stop in, you won't regret it. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Entrance - look for the blue truck! - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

La Rochelle is a boutique winery in Kenwood/Sonoma. We were so fortunate to find this little treasure. The staff is fun and entertaining while also being very passionate about the wines and the history of La Rochelle. You walk through a very pretty tasting room out to the patio where you are transported to an oasis. It's Zen with lawn games, chickens and a koi pond. You can't make this up!! They produce over a dozen pinots and a crazy good chardonnay. We purchased 3 bottles each of the reserve Deer Meadows, Donum Estate, and the Hays Chardonnay. Plus we joined the wine club. I want to be invited to their parties. Chuck, Jill, Ryan and Mami, here we come!!! Great wines poured by fun people in a fantastic atmosphere. Start here when wine tasting in Kenwood/Sonoma. read more

I've been tasting and collecting wines for over 15 years. Visited La Rochelle a few months back with a friend Graham who have been living in the Napa Valley for years. We were very fortunate to have the pleasure of having Chuck pour for us and talk about wines. If you want to taste some very special wines try La Rochelle. The Pinot's are to die for. Just opened a bottle with some friends at a restaurant and they were blown away by the quality of the Pinot Noir Need to get back there and re-stock read more

Exquisite Pinots! Chardonnays are fantastic too, and the Pinots-- oh the Pinots are really something else. Worth seeking out if you are a fan of these grapes and like to be treated like family. The proprietors Jill and Chuck are so wonderful and will make sure you have a terrific wine tasting experience. They are located right behind Landmark Overlook in Kenwood. Tell them Melina sent you :-) read more

A solid 5 stars for the winery with my family's name (no relation though). SUPER nice owner and staff, delicious sparkling wine and wines. Lovely little back patio with fun games and a nice pond. We enjoyed hearing their fire/mountain lion encounter story. HIGHLY recommend as they are so friendly and the wines delicious! read more

Great Pinot Noir's and Chardonnay's. Chuck is a great host he took time and explained each difference between the many Pinot Noir's. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

An amazing day with Claire- sharing special varieties (clones)--- she had us comfortable and happy as she shared great info about all their wines. Known for the Pinot Noir we enjoyed a nice Chardonnay as we picnicked on the grounds. Met Chuck the owner- a native Californian- who has created a beautiful space and fabulous wines. Bought 6 bottles to send home. Make sure you stop. read more

La Rochelle Winery - Wineries Near Me - Kenwood, California

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Went to La Rochelle for the first time yesterday and was very impressed! The wines were excellent, but as important, Phillipe (sp?) was a phenomenal host! I have been to an embarrassingly large number of tasting rooms, and I have never encountered a wine pourer with the combination of wit, charisma, and wine knowledge that Phillipe displayed. This is a small, low-key winery that focuses primarily on Pinot Noir. If you're looking for a fun place to enjoy and learn about that style of wine, you will not find anyplace better than La Rochelle, especially if Phillipe is your pourer! read more

Beautiful views of the land and they have chickens! Very friendly staff and delicious wine! If you enjoy Pinot Noir, then this is the place for you. The customers are extremely nice and are very helpful if you are visiting. read more

Mr Chuck Easley was the most Hospitable, welcoming, low keyed, down to earth loving football fan , extraordinaire Man I've ever met whom is the CEO ( Founder) of La Rochelle Winery ( vineyards). I and a few other colleagues worked for him briefly. And in that short period of time he Truly exuded kindness and warmth toward each of us. Especially being in a position of power. I was shocked to see such character and integrity on a professional level. Dana Davis read more

This is a truly relaxing and amazing experience. We never consider visiting wine country without seeing Chuck. So happy to spend time there with Ryan and sweet Sophia, the Italian wine dog. The welcoming nature of the staff is a delight. We love Napa, but this is much better for a personable visit, great wine and people! read more

Beautiful grounds, with tomato plants, fig trees, and chickens by their vineyards. Pinots were great here

We love going to smaller wineries and supporting local. The atmosphere is amazing, staff is friendly, and most importantly the wine is fantastic!!! Definitely go check them out. read more

Nice quite setting with a knowledgable staff. Great addition to Sonoma Valley. The Pinots are wonderful.

This is one of my favorite small wineries! The place is lovely, with a perfect balance between rustic and elegance. They have about 15 different single vineyard Pinot Noirs, which gives you a great way to try a lot of different soil and regional differences with the same winemaker's style. And today we got to make holiday wreaths! So fun. read more

Great wine, fun staff and epic events!! The tasting room is lovely to bring a picnic and enjoy the scenery! They have the super fun theme events and member appreciation days. Mamie is a pour star. Chuck and Jill, the owners, are welcoming and friendly. Ryan rounds out a great team. And don't forget the amazing wines!!! Pinot for days. :-) read more

We just spent 3 days in Napa and Sonoma touring and tasting. This is, with no hesitation, the best wine and tasting experience in wine country. We joined the club immediately, and would highly recommend a visit. Than you Chuck and Jill! You have a wonderful winery, accompanied with a spectacular experience. read more

So the wines are 5 stars. It is really cool to taste all those single-vineyard Pinots from the best growing regions/vineyards in California and how the different locations affect the wine. They are all very good wines but you can really taste differences among them. Other varietals they offer are also very good. We walked away having bought several bottles and I'd definitely go back and recommend this place to others just for the wines. The winery and tasting experience is 4 stars. Very nice people, pleasant back yard with a koi pond, etc. But it isn't anything amazing. I mean, you still stand around the bar in the back to get the tastings. Nothing there to criticize but nothing to knock your socks off either. read more

We are residents of Santa Rosa, and visit wineries regularly. La Rochelle provided a unique experience today...evidently only wine club members get to sit when tasting! So in spite of only a couple of the dozen or so tables on their patio in use...no sitting for us today. Must have been planning for a big rush. Wonder what's next...restroom access... read more

I love La Rochelle wines. Go visit this hidden gem and you'll taste some delicious wine outside next to a beautiful pond. The family is so friendly and will probably be the ones pouring your wine. Chardonnay, small lot Pinot Noirs, and even a Pinot Meunière, delicious! This is truly a place with Sonoma style. read more