RAJAT PARR the Minimalist Winemaker

On a visit to Rajat Parr in Cambria, Mira Advani Honeycutt gets an insight into his uniquely personal take on winemaking

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Harvest 2025 was coming to an end when I visited Rajat Parr at his Parr Collective Vineyard & Winery in Cambria located in the northern end of San Luis Obispo Coast AVA, along California’s Central Coast. As I watched a half-ton bin of Savagnin Jaune was tipped into the press on the crush pad while the sommelier-turned-winemaker supervised a small crew of three others. After pressing, the juice is headed straight into barrel where it will naturally ferment with native yeast and age.

This, in a nutshell, is Parr’s signature — minimal intervention and a natural winemaking approach. The practice runs through his portfolio of four brands: Phelan Farm-Wines of the Pacific, Stolo, Brij and Scythian Wine Co, all produced at Parr Collective Winery in Cambria (formerly known as Stolo Vineyards & Winery). As we walked around the crush pad peeking into other bins, Parr related that 2025 was extremely cool along the Central Coast. “A very cool, long, beautiful summer,” is how he put it, which will give the wines high acidities and moderate alcohol. “Really fresh and vibrant and crunchy wines.” A hallmark of Parr's collection of wines.

There's no pretense in Parr's craftsmanship his wines strive for purity and honesty.

Phelan Farm wines, for instance, surprise you with obscure varieties such as Mondeuse, Poulsard, Altese, Trousseau and Pink Chardonnay, all planted at Parr's Phelan Farm vineyards.

Then there are two brands produced with sourced grapes. The popular Brij brand is a workhorse, producing 1000 cases each of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Brij also includes small lots of unusual varieties like Assyrtiko, Gruner Veltiliner plus the popular Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre - all sourced from organic vineyards along the Central Coast.