Learn what makes a car collectible for these Paso Robles Collectors and their favorite Paso Robles Wine Country day-trip advice.

Owner – Barr Estate Wines

When did your affinity for cars cross over to collecting?

I’m more of a guy that likes to work on old cars, and I become attached to the vehicles I restore, than a collector. I restored my first vehicle in 1962.  It was a 1932 Ford coupe. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that I started to hold on to cars that I enjoyed owning.

What makes a car worth collecting to you?

I like classic US cars and trucks. They convey a sense of history and style that is part of our cultural heritage.

Which is more valuable your favorite car or your most prized bottle of wine?

A restored classic car has a unique history that you can enjoy when you drive it, work on it, and look at it.  A great wine, of which there are many in Paso Robles, can best be enjoyed when it is consumed and then it is only a memory.

What do you consider your best find in your car collection?

My best vehicle is a 1963 Split Window Corvette with factory air. There were less than 275 built.

Which wines do you pack when headed out for a road trip?

Our Albarino and Malbec.

Do you have a dream car and if so, do you own it, or plan to?

A 1967 Big Block Corvette coupe with side pipes and factory air. I don’t own one but would like to someday, but don’t tell my wife.

Describe the perfect road trip in Paso Robles Wine Country?

The perfect day trip in the Paso area would be in Fall just after harvest when the temperature is in the 70’s. I’d prefer the hilly back roads of the Eastside in a classic convertible.

owner – caparone winery

At what point did your affinity for cars cross over to collecting?

I started working on old cars in the 1950s while in high school.  That ended while in college and I was able to return to it later in life.

What makes a car worth collecting to you?

It has to be of a certain era, and the uniqueness of the cars from the 30s have always interested me.  I get a lot out of doing the research required when restoring a car to the way it was built originally, down to the nuts, bolts, and fasteners.

Which is more valuable your favorite car or most prized bottle of wine?

We are in our 46^th year of winemaking in this region, the oldest under the same ownership.  I like to make wines that improve in the bottle for decades, thus I have a lot of really old wines.  Having a lot of wine, I’d likely choose a car.

What do you consider the best find you have in your car collection and why?

I don’t look at it that way, but one of my Lincoln-Zephyrs is one of about 12 left in the world.

Which wine(s) do you pack when headed out for a road trip?

Whatever was around.

Describe the perfect day trip in Paso Robles Wine Country?

The map in our tasting room map dates back to 1985 and I’m not sure I’d know some of the newer wineries, should I suggest a route.

owner – Patricia Diane vineyards

At what point did your affinity for cars cross over to collecting?

I spent a lot of years on the road with my race cars.  At the same time, I had accumulated some collector cars but hadn’t considered myself a collector.  In 2008, I determined it might be a good time to get out of full-time racing, as the economy wasn’t looking good, and I wasn’t getting any younger.  I guess that is when I changed course and became more of a collector.

What makes a car worth collecting to you?

I suppose it is in the eye of the beholder.  To me, it is something interesting regardless of the type.  In other words, I never focused on one type of car.  I have some street rods, some sports cars, vintage cars and racing cars in my collection.  Some people stick to one style or one make and I’ve always taken a bit of a shot-gun approach.

Which is more valuable, your favorite car or your most prized bottle of wine?

You’ve really put me on the spot with this one.  I don’t think I can answer it without stepping on someone’s toes.  Let’s call it a toss-up.

What would you consider your best find in your car collection?

As to my best find, or finds, that probably belongs in the race car category.  I have several with fantastic history but 2 of my Midget race cars really stand out.  One is the #98 Midget owned and driven by racing legend Parnelli Jones plus it was driven by Bobby Unser, Al Unser Sr and Mario Andretti.  Another is also a Midget that was owned and driven by the great Bill Vukovich who went on to be an Indianapolis 500 superstar.  (In fact, all drivers named here were Indianapolis 500 winners.)  (These are all part of the 75 + car collection on display at the Estrella Warbird Museum/Woodland Auto Display.

Which wine do you pack when headed out for a road trip?

There is a good chance it will be a bottle of Tempranillo, my personal favorite.

Do you have a dream car and do you own it? If not, do you plan to?

My dream car when I was a teenager was a Mercedes Benz 300 SL, better known as a Gull-Wing.  Yes, I now have one which is also on display at the Woodland Auto Display in Paso Robles, which is affiliated with the Estrella Warbird Museum.

Describe the perfect day trip in Paso Robles Wine Country.

There are so many great wineries and back roads in the area which makes this a tough one.  If I were taking guests, I might start out with a tour and tasting at Eberle Winery and take them through the caves.  If time allows, a stop at either Tobin James, always fun, or J Lohr and then off to the west side, probably Adelaide Rd and a photo shoot at Daou.  From there, Old Creek Rd to Cayucos for a late lunch and home on Hwy 46.  Ideally, in the spring or fall with some 80-degree temps.

As mentioned, there are so many really good wineries in the area that I might take an entirely different route the next time and focus on some of the smaller wineries in our area.