Phelan Farm, California Mencia 2021

Raj Parr is one of the biggest names in American wine. He’s a famous sommelier, educator, and winemaker, running the show at Sandhi, Domaine de la Côte, and most recently, Phelan Farm. What’s different about his new project is his hands-on involvement in every step of the process, especially the farming. Long one of the wine world’s foremost proponents of natural farming, Raj is putting it into practice on his coastal vineyards north of Santa Barbara.

This red takes its cues from Galicia in northwest Spain. Made with mencia, it’s medium-bodied, peppery, and earthy.