Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Raj Parr is a James Beard award-winning sommelier, author and wine maker. Born in Calcutta, Raj earned a degree from the Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration in India. Later, he attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduation, Parr moved to San Francisco to apprentice with Master Sommelier Larry Stone at Rubicon restaurant in San Francisco. In 1999, Parr was hired as the opening Wine Director at the Fifth Floor, also in San Francisco, receiving rave reviews and the first of his four Grand Awards from Wine Spectator. Then in 2003, Parr was named Wine Director for the Mina Group with over 25 restaurants around the world, and in 2010, opened RN74, San Francisco's award-winning wine bar/restaurant. Shortly after, Parr founded Sandhi Wines in partnership with winemaker Sashi Moorman, in California's Sta. Rita Hills. Since then he has co-founded Domaine de la Côte, also in California's Sta. Rita Hills, and Evening Land Vineyards in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills.
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Subscribe to the best free newsletter on wine, WineSpeed bit.ly/WineSpeedSubscribe
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Check out more about Karen MacNeil by visiting her website bit.ly/KarenMacNeil
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The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. It's the best-selling wine book in the U.S. Buy it here! bit.ly/thewinebible
Raj Parr is a James Beard award-winning sommelier, author and wine maker. Born in Calcutta, Raj earned a degree from the Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration in India. Later, he attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduation, Parr moved to San Francisco to apprentice with Master Sommelier Larry Stone at Rubicon restaurant in San Francisco. In 1999, Parr was hired as the opening Wine Director at the Fifth Floor, also in San Francisco, receiving rave reviews and the first of his four Grand Awards from Wine Spectator. Then in 2003, Parr was named Wine Director for the Mina Group with over 25 restaurants around the world, and in 2010, opened RN74, San Francisco's award-winning wine bar/restaurant. Shortly after, Parr founded Sandhi Wines in partnership with winemaker Sashi Moorman, in California's Sta. Rita Hills. Since then he has co-founded Domaine de la Côte, also in California's Sta. Rita Hills, and Evening Land Vineyards in Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills.
.
.
Subscribe to the best free newsletter on wine, WineSpeed bit.ly/WineSpeedSubscribe
.
.
Check out more about Karen MacNeil by visiting her website bit.ly/KarenMacNeil
.
.
The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. It's the best-selling wine book in the U.S. Buy it here! bit.ly/thewinebible
