The idea behind Vintage Highway has percolated over the last year or so as my interests in wine, traveling and cool vehicles co-mingled and marinated somewhere in the back of my head. The underlying problem was how to devise a plan that would enable me to pursue all of my interests simultaneously and legitimately on behalf of my business: Carpe Vino, a wine shop, wine bar and fine dining restaurant in Auburn, CA.

First, Some Deep Background. . .

For the last couple of years I’d been toying with the idea of purchasing a small travel trailer, but the only brand that has ever appealed to me is Airstream. Unfortunately, as far as my budget was concerned, they are simply unaffordable. An entry level Sport model can easily approach $35,000, and I was not prepared to invest that much money in something I wasn’t sure exactly how I would use.

The underlying issue, however, is I am not a camper. I am not the kind of person who embraces roughing it, though as a transplant to Northern California from Chicago, now living at 2,700 feet in the Sierra—virtually off the grid on 23 acres of tall pines—daily I feel the wonder and the sense of being small in such a remarkable place. Yet after a publishing career of incessant traveling, I have the expectation at day’s end of a fully stocked bar and great food on premises.

My true passion. . .my source of a major buzz. . .has been riding motorcycles. I’ve always had two or three in my garage, anchored by a big Harley touring bike. Since I re-entered motorcycling in 1988, I’ve owned eight, including four Harleys. Right now, I’m down to a pair bikes: a 1999 Triumph Trophy (900cc) and a 2007 Vespa LX150, which is perhaps the most fun ride I’ve ever owned. 

I’ve toured all over the country, but as I grew older, it became more and more challenging to stay upright for 700 miles at a pop. Last July, though, during a much anticipated trip to Paso Robles on my Harley Road King, a new reality was undeniable. As I approached 60 years of age, the miles were taking a toll.

The ride started with a stop to have lunch and a vineyard tour with Gary Pisoni, the king of pinot makers in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Later in the afternoon, I traveled over the mountain to Carmel and headed south on Highway 1 along the coast through Big Sur—negotiating the squirrely ocean-side lane.

It was all tough riding, first on the numbingly dull freeways; then dealing with the technicalities of climbing and descending narrow mountain roads; ending with the fog and wet, twisty pavement and endless bridges of Highway 1, with darkness closing in and no confirmed hotel reservations. 

I had planned to stay for up to four days in Paso Robles to taste and to find new wines to bring into Carpe Vino, but after two nights, I decided to just go home. The notion of a solo sojourn into wine country was irritatingly flawed, so I rode straight home, baking in the sun and contending with high winds and traffic blowing past me on I-5 even though I clipped along at 85+ mph.

After I pulled into the garage and rested my Road King on its stand, I knew it was our last trip together. In Carmel, turning on to Highway 1, I narrowly escaped a life-flight when a Hummer locked its brakes behind me. It slid past, with no more than a foot between vehicles, forcing another car out of its lane. After nearly 45 years on two wheels, I had never had such a potentially deadly encounter.

That was in August of 2009, and it was then that I started searching in earnest for an Airstream, focusing on trailers listed on Craigslist. It was frustrating because newer trailers were out of my price range; most of the vintage trailers listed were in too rough a condition, requiring a large restoration investment.

At the same time, I put my Harley up for sale for $10,000, setting that amount as a ceiling on what I would rollover into an Airstream. I thought it was a great strategy, but the reality was because of the economy, there were a ton of motorcycles for sale and virtually no one was buying. In fact, the toy business was in such a sorry state, Harley-Davidson dealers were actually closing their doors.

None-the-less, I persisted with my search and in early October located a 21-foot, 1972 Airstream Globe Trotter in Truckee, CA, about an hour away. It was in beautiful condition, but the problem is the buyer wanted $13,000; even with my limited knowledge about Airstream values, I felt it was too much to pay. Within less than a month, however, the same trailer was reduced to $9,000.

I drove up to take a look and, of course, I took my checkbook. It was owned by a young man who would not budge on the price. Even though this was the first trailer I had looked at, my instinct told me to write a check, and I did. A couple of weeks later I drove back up and retrieved it after installing a trailer hitch and electronic braking system on my 2006 Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck.

Then in November, I was chatting with a customer in my wine bar who casually mentioned he was in the market for a motorcycle. He is now the proud owner of a 2000 Harley-Davidson Road King.

A Lonely Synapse Sparks an Idea

All the while I was searching for an Airstream, the plan for Vintage Highway gradually crystallized. The basic idea came to me all at once, all of a sudden. It was simple. . .I would use an Airstream as the platform for touring the back roads of wine country. . .all across America. My prime goal would be to explore California, Oregon and Washington and find great new wines for Carpe Vino, the wine shop I own with my son, Drew. I would seek out small producers and acquire wines vinted in quantities of 1,000 cases or less, up-and-coming boutique brands that are of vast appeal to our customers who appreciate fine, but affordable wines.

Since I am trained as a journalist, it was a natural extension to leverage such an opportunity to write about my experiences on the road, kind of like a latter day Charles Kuralt, but with my story line limited to wine themes. As wine sellers, my son and I are most successful when we can tie stories to the wines we are peddling, making a direct connection between producers and consumers.

The idea is to write about wineries and winemakers; the people and places that energize an industry. The plain truth is that wine tastes far better when it is consumed in wine country, and my goal is to breach the barriers of time and space to make readers feel like they are riding shotgun. . .to relate an experience so genuine that aromas and flavors will seem to be transported through the ether.

We’ll see because that is a mighty lofty goal. . .but then I’ve had many, though not all have been realized. This time out, however, I plan on taking this notion to the limit because I have the sense it has true merit. I think I can build an audience and eventually leverage the idea into a brand that will result in a newspaper column and perhaps even be the basis for a television show. I’ve already written the treatment for a pilot, but I’ve learned it takes substantial resources to get such a program off the ground.

First Stop, Amador County

So I’ll start modestly. . .with a baby step to Amador County. I’m launching Vintage Highway with a tour of my favorite AVA in the Sierra Foothills, establishing a base camp at Cooper Vineyards at 21365 Shenandoah School Road. I’ll be set up in the parking lot adjacent to the winery building from the afternoon of January 28th, departing about noon on January 31st.

This winery is owned by Dick Cooper, perhaps the most celebrated vineyard operator and viticulturist in the region. His daughters work in the business with him, but Chrissy oversees the sales, marketing and tasting room operations. We’ve purchased Cooper wines since Dick decided to segue into winemaking in 2004, and with Winemaker Mike Roser at the helm, the juice keeps just getting better and better.

 

Here’s an invitation: If you plan to be in the Amador over this weekend, stop by the winery at 5 p.m. and I’ll share a glass of wine with you. My best friend, Ellen Macinnes will be catching up with me on Friday, and we’d be pleased to lift a glass with you.

During my trip to Amador, I’ll be visiting winemakers and tasting wine with the aim of writing blog entries every night I’m on the road. So if you are interested in hearing about my exploits, sign up for the RSS feed at the top of the page.

Stay Tuned for the Vintage Highway Schedule

My preliminary plan is to get out on the Vintage Highway once per month. Watch for details about where I’m head. . .to Lodi, the Russian River, Santa Lucia Highlands and Paso Robles during the first half of 2010. I’m also considering a two- or three-week tour of Oregon and Washington later in the year. Drew will be out with me on some of these trips, and we’re looking at ways to get our customers involved. More on that later.

For more information, check out the items in the sidebar of my blog.

FYI: Though it is probably obvious, Vintage Highway has significance on two levels. . .it refers to my old school Airstream and the fact that I’ll be seeking out new vintages on the back roads of wine country. I hope to see you out there!