Bruce Cohn of BR Cohn Winery is preparing to release his newest line of wines, Muscle Car Merlot, Roadster Red, and Coup Cuvee, California appellated wines with a shelf price of $9.99.

The labels for these wines are a natural considering that other collection editions have been available exclusively in the tasting room for the last two years: Roadster Red, Panel Wagon Pinot, Woody White, and Boater's Barbera. They feature Cohn's favorite cars on the label, including his custom built 1933 Willy's Roadster and 1946 Ford Woody Wagon, which are displayed at the winery.

In addition to managing The Doobie Brothers and representing his winery, Cohn is a long-time car enthusiast. He's been in love with fast and collectible cars since he was a teen. "The fascination with cars started when I was a kid," he says. "Cars were my hobby in high school. I wasn't very social."

Cohn's first car was a '51 Mercury purchased in San Francisco. Soon after, he bought another old car and started drag racing. "Building and racing cars was my thing."

Cohn stopped racing hot rods after a latch cord holding a parachute broke off at 195 mph, an incident that disintegrated the car but which he was fortunate to have walked away from.

"I'm not racing anymore," he says. "My life insurance precludes me from skydiving, scuba diving, and racing. I can build them, but I don't race them."

Cohn's collection also includes a 1941 Willys Sedan and a 1934 Henry Ford Five-Window Coupe, and a 1934 Willys Woody drag racer.

Bruce Cohn with his 1933 Willys in front of the tasting room

He spent nearly 20 years painstakingly rebuilding the '33 Willys, which he had shipped to California from Australia. One of just 74 built in Australia, the rare Willys Roadster was rebuilt as a street hot rod, has taken top awards in several car shows, and was recently featured in Hot Rod Magazine.

Cohn often drives the '46 Woody Wagon. Shipped new to Manila in the Philippines, the Woody served as a U.S. Embassy car used by General Eisenhower and General MacArthur after WWII. Cohn has owned it since 1986.

He's also thinking about trading for a muscle car, a GTO, or perhaps buying a 2010 Camero.

Cohn said that considering the attention his cars receive in auto shows and parades, it made sense to memorialize the cars with their own wine labels, and that the wines make great gifts for wine lovers that enjoy antique cars.

He's separately planning the first inaugural B.R. Cohn Winery Charity Car Classic to be held at the winery on July 4, 2009, a fundraiser for Memorial Hospice and Hospice of Petaluma.

Cohn said he has been discussing an order for the new wines with Beverages and More, which would initially carry them exclusively in its 99 stores in California and Arizona.

He said the collection editions sell briskly in the tasting room. "People like the idea that we're having fun with a hobby that turns into something people can enjoy."