When I developed this season of California and Central Coast legends, I came across an article about sommelier and farmer Rajat Parr. It was written by Esther Mobley, the senior wine critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. She called him one of the wine industry’s biggest celebrities and California’s most influential sommelier—and she’s certainly not the only one. Rajat Parr is an absolute giant of the wine world, having worked as a sommelier for restaurateur Michael Mina for many years in San Francisco, and co-authoring two very important books: Secrets of the Sommeliers and The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste. So imagine my surprise when he instantly accepted my email request for an interview. Since moving away from the sommelier and restaurant world, he has taken up as a farmer and winemaker in Cambria at Phelan Farm, Stolo Vineyard, Domaine de la Cote, and Sandhi Wines. We talked about his upbringing in Calcutta, his original goal to become a chef, the way he risked it all to move to San Francisco, and his legendary and well-documented blind-tasting abilities.
Website: phelanfarm.com / sandhiwines.com / domainedelacote.com / stolofamilyvineyards.com
Instagram: @rajatparr
Oddette Augustus, chef and caterer, Miss Oddette’s Creole Kitchen, Paso Robles
Janine Stone, food entrepreneur, A Bitch-In Kitchen, San Luis Obispo, CA
Brittany App, water activist and filmmaker, ”Where There Once Was Water,” Carrizo Plain, CA
Jim Clendenen, winemaker, Au Bon Climat Winery, Santa Maria, CA
Jack + Michelle Rudolph, farmers and cheesemakers, Stepladder Creamery, Cambria, CA
Kendra Aronson, cookbook author and creative, San Luis Obispo, CA
Matt Cross, owner, Broad Street Public House, San Luis Obispo, CA
Max Montgomery, brewer and owner, There Does Not Exist, San Luis Obispo, CA
Larry Kandarian, grain farmer, Kandarian Organic Farms, Los Osos, CA
Erin Primer, Food Services Director, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo, CA
Tim Veatch, chef and baker, Wayward Baking, Los Osos, CA
Sara + Jon Peterson, owners, Scout Coffee and HoneyCo Coffee Roasters, San Luis Obispo
Neal Maloney, owner and farmer, Morro Bay Oyster Company, Morro Bay
Erin Holden, beekeeper, Central Coast Beekeepers Alliance, Atascadero
Julien + Courtney Asseo, resturateurs, Les Petites Canailles, Paso Robles
Greg Clarke, author and illustrator, A Sidecar Named Desire, Thousand Oaks
Chris Dillow + Evan Toohey, chef and employee, Fig at Courtney’s House, Templeton
Mike Sinor, winemaker, Sinor-LaValle Wines, Avila Beach, + Ancient Peaks Winery, Santa Margarita
Chef Daisy Ryan + Greg Ryan, restaurateurs, Bell’s, Los Alamos
Jenn Harris, senior food writer, The Los Angeles Times
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