The roots of Phelan Farm stretch back to the founding of the Phelan family homestead a few miles from the Pacific on Steiner Creek in 1851, just after California became a state. Inspired by his land’s potential to grow great grapes, Greg Phelan planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines on their own roots in 2007, choosing four sites within the farm best suited to viticulture. 

Rajat’s introduction to Greg and Phelan Farm ten years later sparked a new vision for the vineyards focused on creating a healthy ecosystem for the vines through regenerative farming practices. To support this model, he focused on diversifying the vineyards with a selection of cool-climate vines from all over Europe—particularly the Jura and Savoie—while retaining many of the original plantings. The farming philosophy at Phelan Farm is rooted in preserving and expressing the unique site’s natural state. Observation and reverence for the land ensures that the vines thrive in tandem with the diverse species of microbes, plants, and animals that compose their ecosystem. To best achieve this, Rajat created his own natural farming model, a synthesis of techniques gleaned from several schools of agricultural thought—including permaculture and biodynamics—and the teachings of inspirational innovators such as Masanobu Fukuoka and Dr. Elaine Ingham.