"Incredibly perfumed, with aromas of dried flowers, potpourri, dark plums, strawberries and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a tangy, slightly briny finish of umami, seaweed and bark. Bright and subtle. Some matchsticks at the end to make it more interesting. 12.5% alcohol. Drink now and enjoy." - James Suckling
Technical Details
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Producer: Phelan Farm, Rajat Parr, Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, Central Coast, California, USA
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Wine: Pinot Noir, San Luis Obispo Coast AVA
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Vintage: 2024
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Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
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Vineyard: Phelan Farm, a historic cattle ranch established in 1851
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Vineyard location: Five kilometres inland from the Pacific Ocean, near Cambria
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Elevation: 320 metres
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Soil: Cambria Felsite (hard, fine-grained volcanic rock) and Franciscan Mélange (argillite, serpentinite, schist)
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Vineyard position: Alluvial terraces near Steiner Creek
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Farming: Regenerative, uncertified organic, biodynamic practices, permaculture
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Harvest: Hand-harvested
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Fermentation: 100% whole-cluster, indigenous yeasts
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Ageing: 14 months in neutral French oak barrels
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Sulphur: No SO2 added
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Fining and filtration: None
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Alcohol: 12.5%
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Bottle size: 750 ml
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Serving temperature: 14–16°C
The Producer
Phelan Farm is the project of Rajat Parr, the renowned sommelier and winemaker, who in 2019 leased five hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines at a historic cattle ranch in San Luis Obispo County. The estate is located just five kilometres inland from the Pacific Ocean, in one of California’s coolest and most maritime wine regions.
Parr focuses on cool-climate varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Mondeuse and Poulsard, which thrive in the breezy conditions of the SLO Coast. The estate practices regenerative agriculture, uncertified organic farming and biodynamic methods, with a permaculture-based approach to vineyard management.
Vineyard and Terroir
Phelan Farm’s vineyards sit on alluvial terraces near Steiner Creek, at 320 metres elevation. The soils are influenced by two distinct geological formations: Cambria Felsite, a hard, fine-grained volcanic rock, and Franciscan Mélange, a complex mixture of argillite, serpentinite and schist.
This combination of volcanic and metamorphic soils, together with the cool maritime climate, gives the Pinot Noir its saline character, vibrant acidity and fine mineral structure. The proximity to the Pacific ensures slow, even ripening and preserves the wine’s tension and freshness.
The 2024 Vintage
The 2024 growing season in San Luis Obispo Coast was marked by cool, breezy conditions, ideal for slow ripening and the preservation of acidity. The maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean moderated temperatures throughout the season, allowing the Pinot Noir to develop its full aromatic and mineral potential.
The resulting wine is light in body yet complex, with a profile defined by tension and precision rather than weight. Its saline, windswept character reflects the coastal origins of the fruit.
Winemaking and Ageing
The Pinot Noir is hand-harvested and fermented with 100% whole clusters, using indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 14 months in neutral French oak barrels, allowing gentle oxygen exchange while preserving fruit purity and mineral precision.
No sulphur is added at any stage, and the wine is neither fined nor filtered. This low-intervention approach allows the vineyard’s volcanic and metamorphic terroir to express itself fully in the glass.
Tasting Profile
The 2024 Phelan Farm Pinot Noir shows a lifted, transparent bouquet of wild cherry, fresh raspberry and dried rose, edged by a subtle saline note that evokes its windswept coastal origins. On the palate, it is finely etched and vibrant, driven by electric acidity and delicate, almost powdery tannins.
Nuances of orange peel, hibiscus and black tea unfold into a long, mineral-laced finish. The wine is light in body yet complex, with a profile of tension and precision rather than weight.
Aroma and flavour: wild cherry, fresh raspberry, dried rose, orange peel, hibiscus, black tea, saline minerality and subtle herbal notes.
Palate: light- to medium-bodied, vibrant and finely etched, with electric acidity, powdery tannins, granitic minerality and a long saline finish.
Style: a cool-climate, old-world-inspired Pinot Noir—transparent, saline and terroir-driven, with the tension and precision typical of coastal California’s finest sites.
Drinking Window
The 2024 Phelan Farm Pinot Noir is approachable on release but benefits from a short period of cellaring. Its tension, acidity and mineral structure give it the balance to develop gracefully over the next five to ten years.
Serve it cool at 14–16°C and allow it time in the glass to open, as the wine’s full aromatic complexity and saline character emerge with aeration.
Food Pairing
Serve at 14–16°C with roast duck, salmon, tuna, mushroom-based dishes, charcuterie or semi-aged cheeses such as Comté, Beaufort or young goat’s cheese. Its acidity and fine tannins also suit dishes featuring truffle, wild mushrooms or roasted vegetables.
Avoid very spicy or heavily smoked dishes, which can overwhelm the wine’s delicate fruit, floral aromatics and saline minerality.
Collector Note
This is a rare, low-intervention Pinot Noir from one of California’s most respected sommelier-winemakers, made from a single estate vineyard in the cool SLO Coast AVA. Phelan Farm’s wines are produced in small quantities, and the 2024 Pinot Noir’s no-added-sulphur approach and volcanic terroir make each release distinctive.
The combination of Rajat Parr’s reputation, the unique Cambria Felsite and Franciscan Mélange soils, and the freshness of the 2024 vintage makes this a compelling choice for collectors seeking age-worthy, terroir-driven California Pinot Noir with long-term development potential.
Recommended serving: open and allow 30–60 minutes in a large Burgundy glass before serving at 14–16°C to reveal its full aromatic complexity and mineral depth.
