Sashi Moorman & Rajat Parr - West Coast, USA
I think Sashi saw the disappointment in my face when he reached for a regular wine glass. He paused. “…Do you want to use a Raj glass?”
“Was I thinking that loudly?? I mean, I came all this way. Of course I do!” I replied.
Sashi’s partner-in-wine Rajat Parr just released the quintessential tasting glass, known as the ‘Raj Glass’ (hopefully available in the UK soon — pretty please??)
For folks in the wine industry, these are familiar names. For those that don’t know them, Sashi Moorman & Rajar Parr are a west coast powerhouse duo, the winemakers behind Domaine de la Cote, Sandhi, Evening Land, Piedrasassi (Sashi), Phelan Farm (Rajat), Scythian Wine Co. (Raj & Abe Schoener), and more.
I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon in Lompoc, with Sashi, while Raj was outside Los Angeles harvesting. My favourite part about my afternoon sesh with Sashi was his laugh. Having just flown back to Santa Barbara from their vineyards in Oregon, he not only made time for me, but was still full of joy. These boys are always on the move.
Two hours spent climbing high into the vines of Domaine de la Cote in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and tasting samples in the cellar ranks high on my all-time wine experiences. Sashi has a big brain on him, mostly due to the fact he’s naturally inquisitive. From exploring inter-species plant communication to a 30-year vine selection project to develop new Pinot clones, he’s got a lot in the works. He’s looking for answers.
Look at the bottles lining the wall in the background— some of the worlds great wines are here. It's a unicorn graveyard. Sashi, Raj and their team are students of the wine world and the wide range of influences show in their wines. (Raj’s Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste is a go-to reference and an all-around good read.)
GWGP is thrilled to offer limited quantities across several of their project – frankly, we're excited to stock anything these guys touch! Current offerings include:
Sandhi, Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay - 2018
Sandhi, Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir - 2016
Phelan Farm, Bottle Baby - NV
Phelan Farm, Gamay - 2021
Phelan Farm, Mencia - 2020
Scythian Wine Co, Scythians Red - 2021
Scythian Wine Co, Scythians White - 2021
(Sashi)
(Rajat)
(Dom. de la Cote)