Phelan Farm

Central Coast, USA

https://phelanfarm.com/pages/phelan-farm-wines
At a Glance
  • Phelan Farm is the visionary project of Rajat Paar, one of the most accomplished and celebrated wine professionals in the industry
  • Raj and his team have developed their own, unique farming practices that incorporate the use of permaculture, biodynamic principles along with the preservation and building of soil culture through regenerative agriculture.  The vines are treated with natural composts from the farm aided by ferments from organic materials such as kelp, herbs, barks, sea water and raw milk to fortify their overall health and vitality
  • Winemaking at Phelan Farm is as simple as possible.  All of the wines are fermented using natural yeasts, moved using gravity to flow to older, oak barrels of various sizes without any additives or sulfur.  Post elevage, the wines are bottled, corked and labeled by hand.  Raj explains that using minimally invasive processes and doing the work by hand keeps the wines alive and vibrant and takes away the need for sulfur and results in wines that are energetic, fresh and precise
  • The history of Phelan Farm goes back to 2007 when Greg Phelan planted several acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines on their own roots in the cool, coastal, climate of Cambria.  Raj was introduced to Greg in 2017 and the two immediately found a kinship in farming and allowing vines to thrive in vineyards that are intertwined with nature.  Raj drew upon his vast wine knowledge, travel, friendships and vinous experiences to bring an exciting clonal diversity into the vineyards and planting varietals such as Pink Chardonnay, Trousseau Noir, Mencia, Savagnin, Jacquere, Gringet,  Altesse, Mondeuse and Poulsard alongside the established Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Raj was able to collect vine material from some of the top producers such as Tissot for Pink Chardonnay and Trousseau Noir, and Domaine Belluard for the elusive Gringet.   In all, there are twelve acres planted in his unique and remote vineyard
  • Winemaking at Phelan Farm is as simple as possible.  All of the wines are fermented using natural yeasts, moved using gravity to flow to older, oak barrels of various sizes without any additives or sulfur.  Post elevage, the wines are bottled, corked and labeled by hand.  Raj explains that using minimally invasive processes and doing the work by hand keeps the wines alive and vibrant and takes away the need for sulfur and results in wines that are energetic, fresh and precise.  Production is small with a little less than 5,000 cases produced.  Phelan Farm consists of wines that are grown on the property and sourced from the four estate vineyards and include – Chardonnay, Pink Chardonnay, Altesse, Savignin/Chardonnay, Jacquere, Pinot Noir and Mondeuse.  In addition to the Phelan Farm label, Raj and his team bottle wines under the Brij label from purchased fruit on the San Luis Obispo coast that includes Chardonnay and Osos Rouge (Grenache/Syrah blend).

Phelan Farm is the visionary project of Rajat Paar, one of the most accomplished and celebrated wine professionals in the industry.  Raj grew up in Calcutta, India where he found his love of hospitality working within family restaurants in New Delhi.  It wasn’t until age twenty that Raj experienced his first taste of wine in London with his uncle in 1993, and from that point forward he found a calling that would lead him on an odyssey to the coastal enclave that today is called Phelan Farm.

Upon graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, Raj ventured to San Francisco where he met his mentor, Larry Stone.  Raj went on to become the Wine Director for the Michael Mina Group as well as RN74, one of the most renowned wine focused restaurants in the country.  Raj’s venture into wine production has led him to several viticultural successes including Sandhi, Domaine de la Cote and Evening Land.

The history of Phelan Farm goes back to 2007 when Greg Phelan planted several acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines on their own roots in the cool, coastal, climate of Cambria.  Raj was introduced to Greg in 2017 and the two immediately found a kinship in farming and allowing vines to thrive in vineyards that are intertwined with nature.  Raj drew upon his vast wine knowledge, travel, friendships and vinous experiences to bring an exciting clonal diversity into the vineyards and planting varietals such as Pink Chardonnay, Trousseau Noir, Mencia, Savagnin, Jacquere, Gringet,  Altesse, Mondeuse and Poulsard alongside the established Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Raj was able to collect vine material from some of the top producers such as Tissot for Pink Chardonnay and Trousseau Noir, and Domaine Belluard for the elusive Gringet.   In all, there are twelve acres planted in his unique and remote vineyard.

Farming and viticultural integrity are the soul and foundation of Phelan Farm.  The land upon which Phelan Farm was built was home to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years who worked and lived from the land to provide bounty and nourishment for their communities.  Phelan Farm acknowledges with deep respect that they are only the latest in a long line of stewards of this land.  Raj and his team have developed their own, unique farming practices that incorporate the use of permaculture, biodynamic principles along with the preservation and building of soil culture through regenerative agriculture.  The vines are treated with natural composts from the farm aided by ferments from organic materials such as kelp, herbs, barks, sea water and raw milk to fortify their overall health and vitality.  Grapes growing in an environment that is thoughtfully cared for and full of biodiversity allow for the truest expression of place and varietal.  When Raj talks about the farm, he explains that “instead of working with hindsight to ‘fix’ a problem, we rather focus on the farm as an entity, working holistically to provide support for its overall health. No sulfur or copper are used on our property.”

Winemaking at Phelan Farm is as simple as possible.  All of the wines are fermented using natural yeasts, moved using gravity to flow to older, oak barrels of various sizes without any additives or sulfur.  Post elevage, the wines are bottled, corked and labeled by hand.  Raj explains that using minimally invasive processes and doing the work by hand keeps the wines alive and vibrant and takes away the need for sulfur and results in wines that are energetic, fresh and precise.  Production is small with a little less than 5,000 cases produced.  Phelan Farm consists of wines that are grown on the property and sourced from the four estate vineyards and include – Chardonnay, Pink Chardonnay, Altesse, Savignin/Chardonnay, Jacquere, Pinot Noir and Mondeuse.  In addition to the Phelan Farm label, Raj and his team bottle wines under the Brij label from purchased fruit on the San Luis Obispo coast that includes Chardonnay and Osos Rouge (Grenache/Syrah blend).

Phelan Farm is one of the most dynamic and exciting wine projects in all the United States.  Raj Paar has artfully distilled his many years of real-life experience and passion into a place that showcases not only his love for the land and but also his commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of wine.

Wines in Portfolio