As the manager of the Doobie Brothers, Bruce Cohn used to spend 250 days a year on road. However, in 1974, he decided to take on an additional occupation-- winemaker.  We talk to him about touring, creating good food wine, and the best place to enjoy both in Northern California.

AndrewZimmern.com: You’re well-known in the world of rock and roll, and it might surprise people to learn you grew up on a Northern California goat dairy farm. What do you remember most from that time? How did your experience affect the way you think about food and wine?

Bruce Cohn: Milking 115 goats twice a day, 7 days a week.  We made Feta goats cheese in 25lb sacks and ate it by the pound.  Don’t want any more goats or Feta, thanks.  Love food and wine.

AZ.com:  In the 1960s, you started managing the San Francisco band, the Doobie Brothers. How did you get involved with the band?

BC:  Met them as a bar band at a recording studio in 1969.  They were looking for a record contract.  My brother was their house engineer and cut a demo tape of their songs and we got them a record contract in 1970 with Warners Bros.

AZ.com:  What’s your craziest story from the road? 

BC:  Weightless descent on the Doobie Liner airplane in 1979 in order to take a photo for the album ‘Minute By Minute’.

AZ.com:  While you still manage the band, you’ve also branched off and created a very successful winery and vineyard. What brought you back to the farm, so to speak?

BC:  I bought the vineyard in 1974 to recover from touring 150 cities a year with the Doobie Bros – which kept us on the road about 250 days a year.  Had no idea it would become another business (winery and vineyard).

AZ.com:  In addition to winemaking, you press your own olive oils, and have created a line of vinegars, mustards and more. What’s unique about BR Cohn products?

BC:  They are all made from olives grown in California and the vinegars are made ‘Orleans’ style, aged in French Oak Barrels.  The food products are my recipes made by a local company to our specifications and incorporate our wines and olive oils in them.

AZ.com:  When it comes to BR Cohn wines, which is you current favorite bang for the buck bottle? Favorite splurge bottle?

BC:  Bang for the Buck is the BR Cohn Silver Label Cabernet. Favorite Splurge is the BR Cohn Olive Hill Estate Cabernet – always a great wine!!

AZ.com:  Describe your perfect meal.

 BC:  Caesar salad, prawn Risotto with shitake mushrooms, asparagus, red onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic bread toasted with BR Cohn Olive Oil, and a bottle of BR Cohn Reserve Chardonnay. For dessert, vanilla ice cream, fresh-cut strawberries with BR Cohn 25 yr Balsamic drizzled on top and a glass of BR Cohn Cabernet Port to finish.

AZ.com:  Name your five favorite restaurants in Northern California.

BC:  Madrona Manor in Healdsburg, Ad Hoc in Yountville, EDK (El Dorada Kitchen) in Sonoma, Joe Lococo’s in Santa Rosa, Michael Mina’s in San Francisco

AZ.com:  What’s in your fridge?

BC:  Jumbo prawns, chicken, pork loin steaks and chops, asparagus, sugar snap peas, red and yellow bell peppers, red onions, broccolini, Vella Sonoma dry jack cheese, Reggiano Parmesan, eggs, bacon, chicken-apple sausage, Claussen's pickles, homemade olives, Fuji apples, winter pears, pineapple, grapes, persimmons, blueberries, lots of BR Cohn mustards and tapenades.

Bruce Cohn, founder and proprietor of B.R. Cohn Winery, has embraced a lifelong passion for Northern California’s wine country and its bounty. An equally strong passion for music led to a parallel career in the music industry as the manager for one of rock ‘n’ roll’s perennially favorite American bands, The Doobie Brothers. His down-to-earth attitude, focus and dedication have made both careers flourishing successes to this day.