Full Transcript
Doug Shafer:
Hey everybody. Doug Shafer again. Back with another episode of The Taste. Um, really happy to have a friend of mine who I don't see often enough. A fellow vintner; neighbor just down the road, Randy Lewis of Lewis Cellars. Randy, welcome. Randy Lewis: Thank you. Great to be here.
Doug Shafer:
Um, I gotta tell you a story. I th- you know I've been doing this a long time. It was back in the '90s, mid to late '90s. I started hearing about this new winery; this new Cabernet, Lewis. Elias, I go, "Do you know Lewis?" He goes, "Oh, I don't know Lewis." "I- I'm- It's good, I've heard it's good." So we went out to lunch and had a bottle and yeah, it was really good. And it was like, so I'm talking to the- the wine buyer there and I say, "Who is- who is- who is this guy? You know, where does this come from?" He goes, "Oh, it's this guy Randy Lewis. He used to, you know, race- you know, race cars. Race car driver." Yeah, I looked at him. I looked at Elias, I said, "Jesus, a race car driver making wine? You gotta be kidding me."
Doug Shafer:
And then I was driving back to the winery, I thought, "Well, my dad was- published text books and (laughs) he became a wine maker too." So I realized it's like, "Hey, you know, everybody's story's- everybody's got a different background." Randy Lewis: A lot of ways to get there.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. So, help me out. Where- where were you born? Where'd you grow up? Randy Lewis: Atlanta, Georgia.
Doug Shafer:
Atlanta, Georgia- Randy Lewis: Actually, born in Charlotte, um, 'cause my mom was from Charlotte and she was there and my dad was in the war, so born in Charlotte but moved back to Atlanta pretty quickly.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. So you're dad was in the war. What service? Randy Lewis: Uh, the Navy.
Doug Shafer:
Navy. Randy Lewis: Navy, in the Pacific-
Doug Shafer:
Got it. And siblings? Randy Lewis: Two sisters.
Doug Shafer:
Two sisters. So what was, uh, childhood like, growing up... Randy Lewis: Well...
Doug Shafer:
...in Atlanta? Randy Lewis: (laughs) I mean, there were some good parts and bad parts (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Well, t- tell me- tell me both (laughs). Randy Lewis: Well, my mom and dad broke up pretty early so...
Doug Shafer:
Okay- Randy Lewis: ... um, my mom tried to raise me and had a rough time. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Why would she have a... Now, come on Randy. Why would- you're a nice guy. I've known you for years. Wh- wh- what- what- what was going on? Randy Lewis: Well, I was a little crazy, especially in cars.
Doug Shafer:
So the car thing started early? Randy Lewis: It did.
Doug Shafer:
Like at age 16? Randy Lewis: Yep. Even before when a friend could drive and I'd just be shotgun.
Doug Shafer:
All right. But before we get to cars, s- hi- school. Sports? Activities? Randy Lewis: You know, I wasn't very good at sports.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: Um, I was- the only thing I did well in the state competition was wrestling.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: So I was a pretty good wrestler. I mean, I played all the sports. I played baseball. My dad was an excellent athlete so, of course, he was disappointed when I was not an excellent athlete, but um...
Doug Shafer:
Yeah- Randy Lewis: ... because he was a star pitcher. Number one in the state in tennis.
Doug Shafer:
Wow. Randy Lewis: Um, so I tried 'em all and just wasn't very good.
Doug Shafer:
Oh, you know, we've all got our own stuff. So, with the car thing, was it driving, or were you like totally a mechanic guy tearing engines apart and all that stuff? Randy Lewis: Nah, I didn't like working on the cars. I had to-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ... when I started racing professionally because I didn't- I couldn't afford to pay somebody, but-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: No, I just loved driving 'em.
Doug Shafer:
So you're 16 and you're hot-rodding around Atlanta, and th- the police probably get to know you. Randy Lewis: They- they do.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Okay. (laughs). Randy Lewis: There was a funny one, one time. I- when I graduated from high school, we went out and we decided we'd just have a little fun with the police, and we didn't- I didn't drink back then.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: I mean nothing-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah- Randy Lewis: ... didn't have a beer until I got in college. So we were sober. Um, so we found this guy and we just ran the stop sign right by him.
Doug Shafer:
A- a policeman? Randy Lewis: Uh-huh (affirmative).
Doug Shafer:
You saw him and said, "we're just gonna do this on purpose." Randy Lewis: We're gonna run the stop sign-
Doug Shafer:
Okay- Randy Lewis: ... see if he can catch us. But he didn't- he didn't tur- he didn't... So we thought well he's asleep.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: He must be asleep. So we went by, beeped our horn and ran it again.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: And then the fun began.
Doug Shafer:
You beeped your horn and ran it again? Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
How many guys in the car? Randy Lewis: Just my friend and I.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And you're dr- you're driving- Randy Lewis: And so- and so it was a slow news day because it wasn't the same cop we kept seeing. They- they brought in dozens of police cars eventually. And we went in behind the guy's house and thought, "Well, we'll hide here for a while." And then a helicopter arrived.
Doug Shafer:
So they were chasing you all over town- Randy Lewis: Yeah-
Doug Shafer:
... up to twelve cop cars. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
And you're s- you're just graduated from high school. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Your poor mother. (laughs). Randy Lewis: Yeah, I know. I know. So anyway, the officer gets out. It's officer MacGuarder. Actually, I'll never forget because he gave me my first ever ticket and he said, uh, "Well, John," cause that was my name; John R. Lewis. "I guess you weren't speeding this time either, huh?" (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: So kinda funny.
Doug Shafer:
That's pretty good. So what was the, uh, consequence? Randy Lewis: Nothing. My dad got me off.
Doug Shafer:
Oh jeez, jeez. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
So- so it starts. Randy Lewis: I didn't hurt anything. You know-
Doug Shafer:
That's good. That's good- Randy Lewis: ... we didn't crash into cars or-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ... or, yeah. It was just fun.
Doug Shafer:
Well good, okay. I- I can relate to... I can relate, totally. So after high school. Wh- where to then? Randy Lewis: Well, see, I was gonna be a doctor. And so I took, you know, like Latin in high school and German derivatives and blah, blah, blah. And so I went to Vanderbilt and, fo-
Doug Shafer:
Right- Randy Lewis: ... and pre-med. And did two years of pre-med and realized, I don't wanna be a doctor. So, then I went to University of Florida to have fun. Had a little too much fun (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: I was on the Dean's List. But I was on his bad list too, so (laughs). I had a motorcycle and the police never caught me on that thing either (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
Did you like, beep beep and run a stop sign? Did you- Randy Lewis: No we just...
Doug Shafer:
You just were going fast? Just going fast- Randy Lewis: ... yeah, we were just going fast.
Doug Shafer:
The Dean- the Dean and you were on a first name basis? Randy Lewis: We were.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. I think I got it, I'm piecing this together. Randy Lewis: Then it was time to move on.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: So, um, I dropped out of school for a while. Uh, went to Europe. Worked in London for a little bit at an accounting firm. Took a little bit too long a vacation.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: (laughs) So I just kept vacationing. So I- I lived over there til my money ran out, until I lost like 30 pounds ... eating on a dollar day in Paris.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. So you're like how old? 23, four? Randy Lewis: Well, you know, well 18- no well 20. Yeah, 21.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) All right, so, money runs out in Europe. Randy Lewis: Yeah, so I have to come back.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: I sell shoes in Atlanta for a little bit, just to get enough money to leave again. Then I drive across country. End up in the Haight-Ashbury for one night. Didn't have a good night (laughs). So I got on a plane to Hawaii. Just odd jobs over there. Hung Out. And then after about nine months, went, "You know, everybody's disappointed in me. I might as well at least finish school." So all the people I was partying with were from San Jose State, so went to San Jose State.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Uh, got my BS degree there and uh, then went to, uh- and then started racing at that time.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, so that's, yeah- that was- I was thinking about you last night. So, when did that kick in. So you- you got outta- you got your BS. You s- cleaned up your act a little bit and that's when you started- you started racing. So were you like, doing any racing before then- Randy Lewis: No, nothing-
Doug Shafer:
...at all? Randy Lewis: No, nothing. You know, m- m- most kids start with go carts and stuff like that.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: My family wouldn't let me have a go cart. Um, so I didn't drive a race car til I was 24, which is pretty old. And I helped a friend work on his car and he said, "Well, you know I've never won a race in this car. Why don't you take it out and go through driver's school and give it a shot." So I won like 12 or 13 races in the West Coast Championship and went, I said, "I like this."
Doug Shafer:
Now, okay. That's- all right. Y- You go out, you start winning races. What kind of car, car was it? Randy Lewis: Lotus 23B. C Sports Racing.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, all right. Now you're talking like Greek to me. So don't do that to me. Randy Lewis: Yeah. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
So is that like a Formula 1 type car? Randy Lewis: No, it's a little two-seater enclosed wheel, made in England.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Lotus.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, okay - Randy Lewis: Really famous. The 23B was really famous sports c- little sports car.
Doug Shafer:
So everybody's got the same car? Randy Lewis: No. No, there were Elvas, there were all kinds of little cars.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And so, okay, so this- this other guy's car. You're driving it? Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
And when you win do you get money? Randy Lewis: No.
Doug Shafer:
Huh. Okay. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Now you see where I'm going with this? Randy Lewis: Yeah-
Doug Shafer:
So- Randy Lewis: No, I sold my little cute sports car that I had in Europe and bought a friend's Pontiac station wagon for almost nothing, but it had a big enough motor so I could tow my trailer.
Doug Shafer:
Cuz in your trailer is the race car? Randy Lewis: Yep, yep.
Doug Shafer:
All right, so you're just going race to race? Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
So, what are you living on? Randy Lewis: Well I'm still in school.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, okay. Randy Lewis: So I'm still going to school.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: So my family helped me through school.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: But they didn't help me after school.
Doug Shafer:
Right. (laughs) Randy Lewis: So, um, I w- I went to- then I went to Berkeley, uh, to graduate school, uh, to work on my MBA.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: And, I was not having a good time. And not doing great either. B - C's. And there was a series that read about called the, uh, Formula B Continental Series that ran in America and Canada and they paid you. Y- y- you could earn some prize money.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: I mean we're talking hundreds of dollars. But it would pay for me to sleep in my van, work on my car, and it'd pay for a set of tires occasionally. So I'd live in my van did the whole series.
Doug Shafer:
And the series is going, what towns are we talking? We talking Canada and Western U.S. Randy Lewis: Oh we're talking- yeah, we're talking Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada, California, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Is there like a- Randy Lewis: Ohio-
Doug Shafer:
... week a- a race every week? Every... Randy Lewis: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Probably every two weeks.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. So, there's a bunch of other guys like you doing the same thing? Randy Lewis: Yep. There were a lot of wealthy guys too-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah- Randy Lewis: ... that didn't live in their van. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) So you did that. How long did you do that for? Randy Lewis: Just for one season.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: And then I was rookie of the year. Qualified on the front row for the last race at Mooseport, Canada and got noticed by a Formula 2 team in Europe.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. This is cool. So a s- a European team notices you cuz you're doing really well? Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
I think you're being way modest. I think you were like kicking butt- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
... so it sounds like you were. So, so you're coming up through the ranks. You're doing really well. Where'd you be- where'd you learn to be such a good driver? Randy Lewis: I just-
Doug Shafer:
Running away from cops? Randy Lewis: Yep. I guess.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Oh no. Randy Lewis: A racetrack's totally different though.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Cuz on the street you're not really on the limit cuz you don't wanna crash, whereas on the racetrack... well you don't wanna crash on the racetrack either, but you gotta push the limits, to the max.
Doug Shafer:
So you're- got it. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And you had no problem doing that? Randy Lewis: No.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, so- so when they- you say they notice you, they're... so it's a team, they're looking for drivers? Is, um- is that the right- Randy Lewis: Well, he just, you know, uh, great guy. Um, uh, but unfortunately when I- so I sold everything I had over here, which was just the race car and the van.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Moved to London and didn't get th- the- the ride didn't materialize. So, I went knocking on doors and, uh, found Wrangler jeans.
Doug Shafer:
Huh. Randy Lewis: And Wrangler sponsored me. So, I did three years in Formula 3 over there on the Grand Prix circuit.
Doug Shafer:
So Formula 3. Help me. Formula 1 is? Randy Lewis: Formula 3- Formula 1's the ultimate. Formula 3 is not even close performance-wise and so forth, but every world ch- every future world champion for the next three, four, five years came out of Formula 3.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: So I ran against Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones, James Hunt. Everybody knows James Hunt-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ... because of the movie.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Um, so I was running against them every weekend. And-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ... I'd beat 'em some of the time. Not as much as they beat me, obviously. That's why-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ... they become the Formula 1 World Champion. But they were a lot younger too. Nobody really wanted a 27 year old Formula 1 driver, you know, so...
Doug Shafer:
A 27 year old? In that, that game? Randy Lewis: Oh, really old. I mean all these other kids were... and now people are winning races at 17 years old in Formula 1. You know, so.
Doug Shafer:
Wow. Randy Lewis: Yeah. So I got a late start.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, but- Randy Lewis: But it was good. I was the fastest American over there. So I got paid starting money to come to the races. Um, I did about 26 races a year. Monte Carlo, Nurburgring, Brands Hatch; all the famous ones. Jackie Stewart was my teammate in a sense, in that Wrangler- he was on all the Wrangler posters and I was the lackey, you know? (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Why didn't they put you on a poster. You were a good looking guy- Randy Lewis: I was on a poster-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, okay good. Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah-
Doug Shafer:
I was gonna say, you're a handsome dude- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Come on. So he's Jackie Stewart, so he's- he's got an accent and long hair. Big deal. Randy Lewis: I- I- I'll tell you one f- funny side story. You know, I lived in England and you know what randy means in, in London or England, right?
Doug Shafer:
Yes, yep. Randy Lewis: Okay. So, because my last name was Lewis, and it can be pronounced very s- very similarly to Levis, um, they couldn't use my last name. So, all the posters said Randy is coming.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Oh, my gosh. In Lon- in London. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Oh, God, that's great. That's too funny. So, let's go- so when they sponsor you... I'm just kinda, this is curious, just curious about the business. So when they sponsor you, basically, they're covering expenses, living expenses- Randy Lewis: They give me X amount-
Doug Shafer:
... they give a salary- Randy Lewis: ... they give me X amount of money-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ... and I have to make it work.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. But equipment- Randy Lewis: I mean, we wouldn't have much money-
Doug Shafer:
... are they paying for equipment? They paying for the cars and all that? Or is that part of your deal? Randy Lewis: Yeah it covered pretty much all that the first year. The second year they gave me almost twice as much and I bought a BMW and hired a crew and stayed in hotels, and- but, you know, it's peanuts by comparison today, but ... I was also making money at the races, so. Once again, not a lot. Maybe 700 bucks here, a thousand bucks there, but-
Doug Shafer:
Hey- Randy Lewis: ... paid the bills-
Doug Shafer:
...Yeah, it's- it's a living so, another, kind of, just curiosity question. So you said, you hired the crew, so basically your pit crew, the guys taking care of the cars, the mechanics, the whole thing. You're the boss? Randy Lewis: Yeah-
Doug Shafer:
Or is it- there's not some other guy kind of- Randy Lewis: No-
Doug Shafer:
... general manager-type running the whole show. Randy Lewis: No, no.
Doug Shafer:
So y- you're running the show. Randy Lewis: The first- the first, uh, year, um, I- well the first two years I lived in the back of my van.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: It was just me. Um, I didn't have a mechanic. I- I slept on a- a cot that folded out from the- from the wall, a Navy cot that I built.
Doug Shafer:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Randy Lewis: And all my equipment was in there. And I would drive to the race and work on the car and-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ... hop in it and buckle myself in and race.
Doug Shafer:
So, okay. So you- Randy Lewis: So I didn't have a crew til the third year.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. So, it's the third year. That was three years in Europe with Wrangler. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And then you came back to the states? Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. How'd- how'd that happen? Randy Lewis: Well, th- th- they had the fuel econ- they had, um... the economy waddn't doing well in the end of '73, '74. Fuel crisis I think.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: And, um, so it was- they weren't gonna give me a Formula 2 ride and I'd already done Formula 3 for three years. So I came back to America and did Formula 5000.
Doug Shafer:
What's- Randy Lewis: And Wrangler jeans sponsored me in that.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. What's the 5000, again? Randy Lewis: It's like- it's like a cheap Formula 1 car.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: It's got lots of horsepower. It looks like a Formula 1 car, just not as tricked out. You know-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ... not all the... I mean, it doesn't cost $500 Million. It costs, you know, maybe $100 grand-
Doug Shafer:
Hundred thousand, yeah- Randy Lewis: ... two hundred grand.
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: So, um, yeah, so I drove that for a nu- for several years. Not every race cuz I didn't find sponsors for every race. So my whole life was actually just on the phone calling Europe, the East Coast, the Midwest, the west coast, and Asia, looking for money.
Doug Shafer:
So, even though they sponsor- the Wrangler was sponsoring, you still had to find additional sponsors? Randy Lewis: Well no. When they were, but they didn't sponsor me in every race every year.
Doug Shafer:
I see, okay. Randy Lewis: And then there were some gaps in there too where I didn't drive at all. Um, Cribari Wine of all people sponsored me for two years in the Can-Am, which was pretty funny.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: Uh, nice people.
Doug Shafer:
Great. Randy Lewis: And, um, so that was '81, '82, I ran in the Can-Am series.
Doug Shafer:
And somewhere along the way, we met Debbie, your bride. Wh... Randy Lewis: Yeah, met Debbie in '78 at a wine tasting. Um, I was up talking about this 24 bottles of Manil tasting we did. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
So you were- so you- this- so you were promoting wine at that time? Randy Lewis: No, just enjoying it.
Doug Shafer:
Just enjoying it? Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Cuz when I lived in Europe, you know, I'd stop in little wine towns-
Doug Shafer:
Got it. Randy Lewis: ... and hang out, uh, and drink during non-racing times, you know.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
I'm with you. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And so, uh, you guys met at wine tasting. Randy Lewis: Yeah. So, um, she said, "You know I have a lot of Bordeaux. Um, maybe we should do a tasting." (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
There you go. Randy Lewis: So anyway, we got to know each other a little bit and, um, then, um, you know she was divorced and so, um, we dated a little bit in '79. And then we lived together for five years.
Doug Shafer:
And this was when you were back racing the 5000s? Randy Lewis: Well, you know- well, no 5000 was over by then.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: 5000 was over in like '76. So I did a little Can-Am racing in '77, '78, '79 just a race here and race there, not- not much. Didn't have any money and I-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Didn't have any money. Um, was living in a- on a friend's- on a mattress on a friend's floor that had a spare room. So, um, that's where I was in '78-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah- Randy Lewis: ... when I met Debbie, so, (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) So that was good timing. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
We got to find you a permanent place to sleep. Randy Lewis: I know-
Doug Shafer:
I'm concerned about that. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
All right, so you guys and- so you guys lived together, you got married in '85 you said? Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And she was helping you with your career, racing? Randy Lewis: She sure was-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: I'll tell you what. I didn't have-
Doug Shafer:
Wh- when did it take off? Wh- what was the- Randy Lewis: It took off financially, um... Well I didn't even do one race in '85.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: So I was basically completely broke. So, um, and Debbie didn't have a lot of money either. Um, so it was like, h- h- how are we getting married? We're broke.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, yeah. Randy Lewis: (laughs) But we went, "Well what the heck, why not?"
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Not racing this year. I got plenty of time to get married. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: So, yeah, so we got married in Yosemite and, uh, just had close family up. And then the next year, I got the biggest sponsor of my life in a high tech company, Raychem.
Doug Shafer:
Wow. Randy Lewis: I mean, like, well more than all the other 17 years put together.
Doug Shafer:
And how's that happen? Th- they're looking for a racer or you're- you're calling them- Randy Lewis: Well I found 'em and I talked to 'em into it.
Doug Shafer:
So what's your pitch to these guys? What's in it for them? Randy Lewis: I said, uh, "Put a marketing man behind the wheel of a race car and you've got a combination you can't beat in the marketplace." (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Look at you. You should sell wine (laughs) Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Wow. And they bought it. Randy Lewis: Yep. Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Doug Shafer:
Okay, cuz you win big. You got that Raychem all over with that car. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, all right. So now you've got- now you've got a great sponsor- Randy Lewis: Now I've got a great sponsor.
Doug Shafer:
... you've got great equipment. Randy Lewis: ... and then in '87, I pick up Toshiba and they give me more money than the- than the first 18 years combined.
Doug Shafer:
Wow. Randy Lewis: And they sponsored me a couple a years, but they wanted me to do the Indy 500, which I really didn't wanna do, um.
Doug Shafer:
Huh. Randy Lewis: Well, I'd seen t- too many people die, an- and also, I'd never done an oval in my life, so-
Doug Shafer:
Right, 'cause Formula One is all, right- Randy Lewis: ... at twenty, um, so I'm what, um, 43- 43- 42 years old at that stage, and never having driven Indy or an oval.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, this is interesting to me, because I'm not a- you know, I don't follow car racing. But, you know, I grew up, you know, watching the Indy 500, you know, as a kid, that was like the Kentucky Derby, that's Superbowl. You gotta watch that. And so, to hear you say, it's like "I never want to do the Indy 500," is- is, kind of, surprises me, but- Randy Lewis: Well, yeah-
Doug Shafer:
... your next co- your next comment was, "People die in that race," so. Randy Lewis: Well, people die, uh, people died, uh-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ... people died when I was racing Formula 3 in Europe. It was just what, you know, things wer- weren't safe back then.
Doug Shafer:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Randy Lewis: But anyway, so I did it. I took my rookie test and, um, I don't know if you know what white-walling the tires is, but it's, you know, it's- it's- it's taking, um, a piece of paint off the wall, like as thin as a razor blade, but not hurting the car. And-
Doug Shafer:
It's called white-walling- Randy Lewis: ... white-walling the tires-
Doug Shafer:
... white-walling the tires- Randy Lewis: ...Uh-huh (affirmative).
Doug Shafer:
Doesn't sound really safe to me, but keep going- Randy Lewis: No, no. It's- you wouldn't wanna do it and I thought, "You know, this is so cool, I thought I'd be afraid and I'm not afraid."
Doug Shafer:
And you're going like 180 miles an hour? Randy Lewis: Over 200.
Doug Shafer:
Over 200, okay. Randy Lewis: At this stage.
Doug Shafer:
Keep going- Randy Lewis: Later, it was 230, but it was just around 200, 205. And they told me, "Do that again, you're outta here," and I went, "What do you mean, man, I'm- I didn't crash the car, I just took paint off the wall."
Doug Shafer:
Oh. Randy Lewis: (laughs) So anyway, I shaped up, and uh, put it in the show.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: And, uh, p- put it in the show the next five Indys.
Doug Shafer:
You faced five Indianapolis- Randy Lewis: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-
Doug Shafer:
... 500s? Wow. Was it great? Randy Lewis: It was great.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: You wouldn't think after doing the Nurburgring with, you know, 30, 40, 50 turns, however you wanna count 'em, uh, that turning left four times would be exciting, but it's really exciting. You're averaging 225. I mean (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, 225 you just wanna- Randy Lewis: ... a football field a second-
Doug Shafer:
... and you wanna keep it on the tr- track- Randy Lewis: Yeah-
Doug Shafer:
... and you've got a whole lot of other people really close to you doing the same thing. Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
Well my hats off to you, but I'm- I'm not gonna head that way- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Wow. So five Indys- Randy Lewis: Five Indys-
Doug Shafer:
... and then you retired? Randy Lewis: Then I retired.
Doug Shafer:
After 20, 23 years? Randy Lewis: 23 years. Yeah, you know, I had a- I had a big crash in '91 and it- and it- it, um- I was driving a car that'd been crashed by the previous driver and it wasn't repaired properly. I mean, obviously, I thought it had been. They told me it had been, but anyway, as I turned into turn one on my first qualifying lap, uh, the rear suspension collapsed and I hit the wall about 225.
Doug Shafer:
Oh. Randy Lewis: Didn't get hurt at all, not a sore neck, nothing. Um, they cleared me to drive, but my team wouldn't give me the next car-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ... that weekend. I had to wait till the next weekend. Um, but put it in the show, you know, again.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: I didn't quit cuz I was tired of driving or that it scared me. It didn't scare me. It just was, "I don't have a great sponsor for next year, I'm sick of spending every day in my office looking for money."
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: I'm 20- I'm 46 years old. Um, I'm gonna have to do something else eventually and I'll never want to do something else eventually, so let's just get going.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, makes sense.
Doug Shafer:
Well, yeah. You're 46? Randy Lewis: I was 46 my last Indy, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. That's the time. You know, my dad was 48. It's like, "I wanna do something new." Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Good for you. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Well I'm glad you got out. In one piece. Randy Lewis: Yeah!
Doug Shafer:
I mean, y- you know, you weren't afraid, but sitting here listening to you talk about, I'm afraid (both laughing). So, so, you get out and what- what's next? Obviously wine somehow. Randy Lewis: Well, you know, we help a friend of ours, our best friend, um-uh. When I was looking for sponsorship, um, I met- well I met um, I was playing racquetball with Larry Ellison when he was at Amdahl.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: And so they would let me use their computers at what was Relational Software Inc. back then. I mean after Amdahl, when they started Relational Software Inc. And, so they'd let me come in at night and use their computers to put out my proposals and stuff.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: So we became good friends, uh, became good friends with Bob Miner as well-
Doug Shafer:
Oh, okay. Randy Lewis: ...and then when things went public and everybody made a lot of money, Bob bought a place up here in '89.
Doug Shafer:
He was with Oracle, right? Randy Lewis: Yeah, exactly.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, got it. Randy Lewis: And, he said, "Help!" And I said, "Bob I can't help you, I'm racing cars." He said, "Well help me a little bit and when you quit, we'll make a lot of wine." (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Really?! Now, had you ever made wine before? Randy Lewis: Never.
Doug Shafer:
So, okay, help me- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
All right, he's a smart guy, Oracle- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
He's gotta a lot a money and he calls you for help- Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
...to say, "Help." Why doesn't he call like a wine maker person? Randy Lewis: Well I put that together; I found him a wine maker.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Found a vineyard manager.
Doug Shafer:
I see. Randy Lewis: I sold the grapes that we didn't want to keep for his winery. Debbie and I took him national, um, after I quit racing, uh, we put him in like 35 states and a- built up the brand pretty good. Um, but Bob got cancer in '93 and passed away in '94. So, it was time for Debbie and I to do our own thing.
Doug Shafer:
And his place was Oakville Ranch. Randy Lewis: It was.
Doug Shafer:
Gorgeous property. Randy Lewis: Unbelievable.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Okay, so, at this point, while doing all this business for him, you're obviously you're learning the business- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...know it so, so what's your, Debbie and you, what's your next step? Randy Lewis: Well, we had made a wine called "Lewis Select" under the Oakville Ranch label because we wanted to try, Debbie and I, wanted to try different stuff with Chard and Cab-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...then we were doing. And, so basically, you know, I worked a deal out with Bob to buy that from him because it was still in-barrel and just make it "Lewis Cellars" instead of "Lewis Select".
Doug Shafer:
Okay. So you're getting grapes from that ranch- Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
...as you've started, and this is what year, what year did you start Lewis Cellars? Randy Lewis: Well, nine- with the '92 vintage.
Doug Shafer:
'92 vintage? Randy Lewis: Uh-hum, '92 Cab, '92 Chard.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Yeah. That's when I started hearing about you. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
A race car driver making wine, what are you talking about. Did you ever, were you ever racing and doing the wine thing at the same time? Or- Randy Lewis: Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. We were helping Bob in-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...'90 and '91 while I was still driving.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Just not full time-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Got it. Randy Lewis: ...you know, cuz racing was full time. But, putting stuff together, hiring people, um, working on selling the grapes that were excess and that sort of stuff.
Doug Shafer:
So Randy, let me- let me get this straight. You're- you're kind of racing, still finishing up, but you're starting to help Bob, you know, Bob Miner get into the wine business 'cause he said come help me out. Randy Lewis: Right.
Doug Shafer:
But I mean this is a whole new gig for you. You've been a race car driver. What did you, I mean, how'd you know about getting into the wine business, you know, approaching people, selling wine. I mean, was- how did race car driving -help you? Did it help you do that or was there - Randy Lewis: I- it did help me do that, an- and even though I didn't finish my MBA, you know, being in the bus- you know, thinking about business, working on my MBA, um, helped me approach sponsors, feel more confident. Um, you know, talking to somebody about business and dealing with companies like Toshiba, Samsung, Oracle. Um, you know, I've been dealing with business people and selling them on sponsorship-
Doug Shafer:
Right- Randy Lewis: ... for quite some time, so I was already a salesman, you know-
Doug Shafer:
Where were you doing it? Randy Lewis: Selling rac- s- selling a racing sponsorship is way harder than selling wine (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
There you go. Okay, so you were- so you were a natural. So- so when you were calling distributors in Illinois or- Randy Lewis: Yeah-
Doug Shafer:
... New York, you've- you kinda know the drill? Randy Lewis: Yep, yep. And, um, you know a race team really, it sounds like racing is just completely different than wine making, but you know, i- it's not totally different.
Doug Shafer:
Huh- Randy Lewis: Um, number one, you have to have the same passion-
Doug Shafer:
Right- Randy Lewis: ... um, in both sports. Both sports, in both businesses. Number two, you've gotta have the best equipment to win a race. You need the best grapes-
Doug Shafer:
Right- Randy Lewis: ... to make the best wine. And you've gotta have a great crew, not just for your pit stops, but taking care of the car. You gotta have a great wine maker, assistant wine maker, you gotta have a great cellar- cellar crew.
Doug Shafer:
Mm-hmm (affirmative). Randy Lewis: So there are a lot of similari- similarities, um, and what it takes to be successful in racing and what it takes to run a winery.
Doug Shafer:
We- great analogy. I mean, you know, no one ever would have thought, thank y- I'm so glad you're here to get that thing straight. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
I'm with ya. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Uh, jumping back to your racing days, you know, cuz you were living in your car and- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...in your van, and someones h- floor. When you and Debbie get married and you're doing the Indy 500, where was, where was home base for you guys? Randy Lewis: Hillsborough, because-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...we didn't have enough money to buy a place up here.
Doug Shafer:
But when, so when you were racing, you were still home-based in Hillsborough. Randy Lewis: Exactly.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. But the racing, I'm just, guess, think about traveling in the wine business. Racing travel, you're on the road like, 80% of the year. Randy Lewis: Yeah, you're on the road about 200 days a year.
Doug Shafer:
That's tough, that's- Randy Lewis: Yeah
Doug Shafer:
...enough to wear you out too.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. I was just kinda flash back on- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...that.
Doug Shafer:
So, um, so your back up here, starting Lewis Cellars, you've got grapes from Oakville, Oakville Ranch. Facility? Were you custom crushing? Randy Lewis: Custom crushing.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. And then when did you get into your current place? Randy Lewis: 2003.
Doug Shafer:
2003, and you know the history of that place. Randy Lewis: I do.
Doug Shafer:
Cuz that was Jay Corley, Monticello, built that place- Randy Lewis: For sparkling, right.
Doug Shafer:
For sparkling. I can't remember what year it was. Cuz we used to buy grapes from Jay at Monticello Vineyards, it's on Big Ranch Road. And they put up building, everybody says, "What's that?" "Corley built it." "What for, he's got a winery?" "He's gonna make sparkling wine." And we're all like, "Really?" Randy Lewis: Yeah, we call it the Faux Chateau.
Doug Shafer:
It is! Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
It's kinda cute. But, and then ah, the sparkling ou-didn-, it didn't work out. And, then ah, I think Tony- Randy Lewis: Tony Soter.
Doug Shafer:
Tony Soter. I don't know if he bought- Randy Lewis: Had it for ten years I think.
Doug Shafer:
Did he buy it? Randy Lewis: Nope, he didn't-
Doug Shafer:
He just leased it. Randy Lewis: ...he was leasing it.
Doug Shafer:
Tony Soter, when he started his brand called Etude- Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
...was home-based there, which was great- great close by, so could drop in and see 'em and then you guys took over from there. Randy Lewis: We did.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: He was movin' out while we were movin' in cuz Beringer bought him, you know and-
Doug Shafer:
He- He bought him and they moved- Randy Lewis: ...took him to a nicer place-
Doug Shafer:
...to new facility- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
... down- down in Carneros, I remember that.
Doug Shafer:
And you're still there. Randy Lewis: We're still there.
Doug Shafer:
Great. Th- the Faux Chateau. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
It's beautiful, it's cute.
Doug Shafer:
So you've been there, you moved in in 2004 you said? Randy Lewis: '03.
Doug Shafer:
'03. Randy Lewis: '03 was first- first crush.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. And so, um, at some point, oh no, you guys worked with some...uh..cuz, now are you, are you so- are you makin' the wine now? Randy Lewis: No, no, no. I, I made the wine for a few years-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...but I always had, except for a couple a years, I had consultants.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Uh, you know. Helen Turley helped me in '96-
Doug Shafer:
Great. Randy Lewis: ...helped me finish off the '94 and '95 reds. And then Paul Hobbs helped me after that. And then, it turned out even with Helen, um, 'cause she had a bad him or knee or something. She couldn't get out in the vineyard, so I was the one doing all the sampling,-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...reporting back on how the vineyard looked. Then we'd taste together. Um, and then um, I would be the one at the press, um-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...and, we kind of talked about what to do, but I was the guy tasting it and making the, the decisions. And then I was the one the vineyard, often times making the picking decisions because, you know -
Doug Shafer:
Cuz she's, well she's- she's running around, she's busy- Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Paul was crazy too, uh, busy. So finally I said, well, you know, "Why don't I just do this, I mean, I'm kind of doin' it." (laughs) So I did. And so, I kinda did it until um, until. We moved over to Trefethen for one year because he had a building that he just built and were going to make that our barrel room, we bought our own equipment, you know, crush equipment-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...had our own pad, and so that was going to be our home for a while until Etude became available.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: And John was like, "Hey, go for it." you know, so. Um, so then I needed a winemaker full time. I did not want to run the facility, you know, and manage the crew and do all that stuff.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Cuz, custom-crush is just a little different. So.
Doug Shafer:
So, who'd you get- who'd you get as winemaker? Randy Lewis: Back then?
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: Robbie Meyer
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, yeah. He's been around. Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
But, workin with- work, just quickly, cuz a couple great people you got to work with; Helen and Paul- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...I mean busy, crazy, stretched all the way out, but great wine people. What- what did you learn, what, anything special from each of them? What was... Randy Lewis: I learned, well (chuckles), um, I learned what to do and what not to do from both of 'em a little bit. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: Um, but from Helen, the reason I hired Helen is I wanted to take us into another, just another league. I mean, not only another league, but just another concept on how you make wine.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: And she didn't care what the brix was, right. And she just wanted the tannins ripe-
Doug Shafer:
Uh-hum (affirmative) Randy Lewis: ...and the fruit ripe. And then she, you know, she didn't believe in fining and filtering and um, she liked native yeast, and um, so we carried almost all of that forward.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Yeah. So, wh- I can't think of too many things we've changed except for the fact that since we have our own winery we can do, we have more tanks to do different things and do, you know, bettin 'em, drain and press-
Doug Shafer:
Right Randy Lewis: Or not drain and press, but um, um, I can't think of it right this second, but anyway um, you know where you pump the whole thing out into another tank and let it sit and then back in over the cap-
Doug Shafer:
Yep, yep. Randy Lewis: ...and all that sort of stuff. So we couldn't do that with her, but I, so I don't know if she would have done that or not, but, anyway. So we've done a few tweaks on our own, but basically, the concept is, push it.
Doug Shafer:
Push it, and, you know, we've go great fruit here in Napa, and we- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...you know, and we, I'm- I'm in your camp. We should maximize what we have here. We've got great flavors and you mentioned ripe tannins. That's something I've seen Elias move to over the last, well its been ten or fifteen years- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...maybe. P-A, on, wuh- what we're talking, we're all pickin' grapes right now. Harvest is just gettin' going, so we're all thinking about sampling and PH levels and brix levels in the grapes before we pick 'em. And, it's all important, but, taste and flavor, you know, what's- Randy Lewis: Right.
Doug Shafer:
...to put them in your mouth is important. But also the tannins, and it's tough to kinda, it's kind of a sensory thing with tannins, but it's chewing the sk- seeds, chewing the skins. Sounds kinda weird, but- Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Elias is out there chewing seeds and chewing skins, and he's like, "The tannins aren't there yet." Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And I said, I'm like, "Man these taste pretty good to me." He goes, "Nope, not yet." So- Randy Lewis: Yeah, that's-
Doug Shafer:
...that's why he's the winemaker. Randy Lewis: ...that's the last thing that happens I think, you know, um. You know, you get the sugar, you get the fruit character, but we don't want to be egg white fining or filtering or-
Doug Shafer:
Right- Randy Lewis: ...yeah, we'd rather just push it up through-
Doug Shafer:
...do it. Randy Lewis: ...whatever brix it takes and get it right in the vineyard.
Doug Shafer:
Just make it taste good. Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
And then, Debbie's son, Dennis joined you guys- Randy Lewis: He did-
Doug Shafer:
...at some point. Randy Lewis: ...twenty years ago.
Doug Shafer:
It's been twenty years? Randy Lewis: Twenty years. And you know Debbie-
Doug Shafer:
Dennis Bell, great guy. Randy Lewis: Yep. (chuckles)
Doug Shafer:
I don't know him well enough. What's his role? Randy Lewis: His role, we hired him, he was in human resources and really didn't find his niche, I mean, he waddn't totally happy-
Doug Shafer:
Uh-hum (affirmative) Randy Lewis: ...and Debbie, you know, so w- w- we didn't start making money, obviously when you start a winery-
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: ...without a lot of money, you just put it back in, then put it back in, and put it back in.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: So, you go broke every year. Um, so we couldn't afford to hire him until '99. Then we started may- you know, we were up-ta, up-ta 9,000 cases, and, um, so we were making money, and so we hired him. Cuz it was just the two of us, you know.
Doug Shafer:
Just you and Debbie. Randy Lewis: Yeah, just Debbie and I. So we were custom-crushing obviously, so we didn't have any employees as such. And, we were running, you know, we were doing all the sales out of our home-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...down to the peninsula, that we hand-wrote every invoice. Um, and ah, called everybody, make sure we got paid (chuckles), um, so-
Doug Shafer:
Muh- my mother used to do that- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
...can I tell you real fast one- Randy Lewis: Yeah, please.
Doug Shafer:
This is pretty cute. Um, you know, same era, you know, it's Shafer. It was my mom and dad and myself, and maybe one or two other people, and Elias. But we we're, didn't have room in the office, so my mom and dad had to share an office. And she did all the books and accountings and cuttin' checks and all that. And he's runnin' the show, and I'm makin' wine in the cellar with Elias. I remember walking into where they shared this office and they're, this is- Randy, this is just classic. So, dad's on the phone with somebody in New York or Boston. It's early in the morning, trying to talk him into, can you take twenty more cases, can you take twenty more ca- please, try to, you know, get somebody to order some wine and my mom's right there next to him, doing her thing. And she realizes she's on the phone with Boston. I'm not picking on you Boston- Randy Lewis: Right.
Doug Shafer:
...it could be anywhere, saying, "Hey, they're late, they owe us some money, they haven't paid yet." And so, and so, she's like yelling at 'em as he's on the phone with the guy- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
"He's gotta pay." And he's, you know, oh God, it was just crazy. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
It was just wild, you know. Please pay us, please buy some more wine. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Okay, I interrupted, so- Randy Lewis: You understand busy times, right?-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...Cuz we all started somewhere right?-
Doug Shafer:
Well, yeah. Randy Lewis: ...we all, it didn't just fly out the door in the beginning-
Doug Shafer:
No. Randy Lewis: ...necessarily.
Doug Shafer:
No. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
So you and Debbie, doing it all by yourselves. Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. And so, able to bring Dennis on board. Randy Lewis: Yep, so he, he was just. He didn't really have a title or anything, he would just do the stuff we didn't want to do (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) I like that. Randy Lewis: Yeah. So, after he got, you know, more involved and learned the business and stuff, then we would send him to markets we didn't want to go to anymore, cuz we went to every market, of course, to open 'em, right-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...and, yeah, so. Um, and we were tired of going to twelve markets a year, or whatever, so, um. So, we'd send him on the road, um and sent him in California since we were winery-direct in California-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...you know, we sold everything, just the two of us, so three of us didn't hurt. So that was it and then he worked his way up to General Manager, of course, he gave him that title. I don't know if he was really General Manager (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
(chuckles) He gave himself that title? Randy Lewis: Yeah. (still laughing)
Doug Shafer:
I like that! Randy Lewis: But, you know, a couple years ago, um, he uh, I realized that, I mean, I didn't, I don't need a title. I mean-
Doug Shafer:
Right Randy Lewis: ...it's "Lewis Cellars" and I'm Lewis, but, um. So I gave him my President's title about four or five years ago.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: Cuz he earned it.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: Yeah, nobody asked me to. Debbie was shocked, like, "Whoa!" (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: But he earned it.
Doug Shafer:
He earned it! Randy Lewis: He did earn it.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: So, um, yeah, so he's been great.
Doug Shafer:
Super. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
And uh, still making great wines. Ah, 2013 Cabernet happened to be a special wine. Randy Lewis: Yep. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Got 'Wine of the Year' by the 'Wine Spectator' Randy Lewis: Yep.
Doug Shafer:
That's really cool- Randy Lewis: Yeah, it was pretty wild.
Doug Shafer:
...congratulations. Pretty cool.
Doug Shafer:
So, I gotta ask ya, how was it? Randy Lewis: You know, heh, well, see, well that wine had been sold out for over nine months. It was the previous year release, right? So-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...it was long gone, so.
Doug Shafer:
Long gone. Randy Lewis: So, it didn't, but people bought the '14, you know (chuckles). So it was definitely a hit. I mean, you know-
Doug Shafer:
Sure. Randy Lewis: ...a spur. And we were very proud, but not proud like, puff your chest out, or brag about it or-
Doug Shafer:
Uh-hum (affirmative) Randy Lewis: ...you know, we were obviously very, very-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...very happy, very proud. Um, touched, whatever, that they would pick us. Um, they said part of the reason was not just the Cab was so good, but that we- everything that we had made across the board; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, had always been, you know, in the 90's and some of the top wines and so they thought we deserved it.
Doug Shafer:
That's great- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
That's nice to hear- Randy Lewis: Yeah it is nice to hear.
Doug Shafer:
...cuz you do, your wines are top-notch across the board and that's a- Randy Lewis: Thank you.
Doug Shafer:
...that's a challenge. That's one that we attempt to do here also, so it's great. Randy Lewis: Well you do it! (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Well we gotta keep up with you.
Doug Shafer:
Um, so I gotta ask ya. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard that you got 'Wine of the Year'? Randy Lewis: I got, I was sitting in my office and opened up a letter from um, Marvin. So I was just in my office and poppin' open mail and he wrote a han- you know a letter to us saying that we were picked.
Doug Shafer:
Wow. Randy Lewis: (chuckles)
Doug Shafer:
That's cool. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
I'm glad you, I'm glad you remember that. Randy Lewis: Yeah. (chuckles)
Doug Shafer:
That's Marvin Shanken, he runs 'The Spectator'. That's pretty Cool. Randy Lewis: Yeah, and then Jim came by afterwards, you know, and congratulated us and um, you know, cuz he was a goo- he really cared about Debbie, and liked me too of course, but really loved Deb and was also kind to us, you know, liked our wine; liked what we were trying to do.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Vineyard sources. Do you guys own your own vineyard? Or do you purchase- Randy Lewis: No, I have a little one at the house where I live um, um, that's it.
Doug Shafer:
So you contract. Randy Lewis: Yep
Doug Shafer:
So how do you keep your growers happy? Randy Lewis: Well, ye-oh I pay 'em (laughs)-
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: ...but not stupid money because things have gotten stupid, you know-
Doug Shafer:
They have! Randy Lewis: Yeah, they have gotten stupid. And, so, but we've been with people a long time and a lot of the vineyards we're in, we help plant. In other words, we found the bare land and went to the owners and we picked the root stock and the clone and the row direction, the trellis system. And we make every decision in all the vineyards.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: Yeah, um, I mean from watering, to leafing, to laterals to obviously fruit load, to, so.
Doug Shafer:
Pruning, everything. Randy Lewis: Exactly. So, it's all done, we have a vineyard manager that oversees the whole thing and then Josh and I go out there and um, work with the- work with their vineyard manager, but he knows what we- what we need and we get it.
Doug Shafer:
That's good. That's the best- Randy Lewis: That's the best long term relationship.
Doug Shafer:
Well it's long term; that's the best to have. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
Good, good. Um, and some sad news, the start of '17 we lost Debbie- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...which was tough, um. But you're making a wine in her honor I hear. Randy Lewis: We sure are, we're makin'-
Doug Shafer:
Tell me about that. Randy Lewis: ...a Sauvignon Blanc.
Doug Shafer:
Sauvignon Blanc. Randy Lewis: She used to drink almost all the Sauvignon Blanc (chuckles)-
Doug Shafer:
(chuckles) Randy Lewis: ...because, you know, she would work all day, and then we would go up to the house, once we had a house up here, and um, and cook dinner, because she wanted to.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: And, um, we're five miles out in the country, so it was a little bit of a hike out there, so you don't go back for milk. But, she would shop, cook dinner, and she'd always drink Sauvignon Blanc-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...while we were- not just ours, you know, a bunch of other people's, as well, that we love. Um, but that was her thing, and so that's why I did it-
Doug Shafer:
Good. Randy Lewis: ...yeah.
Doug Shafer:
So, you've got that wine. What other wines do you have, you've got just the one Cab, or a couple Cabs... Randy Lewis: No, you know, we've got, um, we have about fourteen different skews-
Doug Shafer:
Oh wow! Really? Randy Lewis: ...we started with one Cab and one Chard and now we have fourteen, approximately fourteen different wines. We've got four Cabernets.
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: We've got four Chardonnays. We have two Sauvignon Blancs. We have a Syrah, and a Syrah blend, a Merlot. I don't know if that adds enough yet, another Syrah; some thr- potentially three Syrahs, um, Syrah-based wines.
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: So, I don't know if tha- I think I add it all (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Yeah, that's, so, you're busy. You gotta a lot going on. Randy Lewis: We're busy, but you know, it wasn’t a marketing ploy, it was, you know you get different vineyards and they really can't go into one thing, or they shouldn't, you know.
Doug Shafer:
You let them express where they're coming from- Randy Lewis: Yeah, yeah.
Doug Shafer:
I get- I see that. And a lot of folks do that, that's- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
... is it tough from the marketplace with the consumer, it's like, they really like Lewis Cab and then they're like, well which one, do they- I mean is that a challenge for 'em? Or its- Randy Lewis: Doesn't seem to be. (chuckles)
Doug Shafer:
...doesn't seem, well good. (clears throat) Cuz, I always- I always kinda thought that would be- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
...and maybe, barkin' up, maybe you and I need to talk more often- Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
...off mic here. Um, oh good. And so, total production? Randy Lewis: About 10,000 cases. We haven't grown much since '99. When we got to 9, we just went, "We're not going to have a yacht, we're not going to have a jet, we have- we're not- we don't need a nicer house, we're happy, we're fine, and we can hire Dennis now, so, why get bigger?"
Doug Shafer:
And you don't have to sleep in your car anymore. Randy Lewis: No.
Doug Shafer:
That's good. Randy Lewis: I didn't want anymore employees. I didn't want- I wanted to be able to sell-out in bad years as well as maybe just not have enough in good years, but, you know, not be beggin' people nonstop, so...
Doug Shafer:
That's a good business plan, I like it. Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
So, I gotta ask you, do you miss racing? Randy Lewis: Not, not anymore. Um, I couldn't even watch TV; the Indy 500 for years. Um, uhhh, but um, but not really-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ....You know, I've still got a Can-Am car ah-ah, in Ph- well Sears Point; Sonoma Raceway, I guess they call it now. It's the only accident I didn't walk away from. Um, my- by- my- car broke in half and my legs go torn up pretty good. So, I was in a hosp- well not a hospital bed, they just plopped me back in my bed-
Doug Shafer:
Huh. Randy Lewis: ...for a few months, before I could walk. So, that car was literally broken in half. So I rebuilt that about ten years ago and I take that out, but um-
Doug Shafer:
Do you- Do you take it ou- I mean, they have these vintage race leagues, do you go do- Randy Lewis: I did one.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: I did do one, ah-
Doug Shafer:
I was gonna ask about that. Randy Lewis: And it was kind of fun actually. Mine’s a newer Can-Am car that has half the horsepower of the older Can-Am cars. So, I was at a little bit of a disadvantage and so I jumped the start; the only way I was gonna lead-
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: ...but they red-flagged it because I jumped the start.
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: And so the next time every- the whole field passes me, pretty much. But they all line up on the right side of the track, so I pass everyone but this young guy who's driving his dad's car. And I had talked to him before the race and I said, "Do you think we can go two-abreast over the hill there?" And he just like, looks incredulous. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
(laughs) Randy Lewis: And so the next lap, that's where I passed him (laughs).
Doug Shafer:
Did you really?! Randy Lewis: He looked over and just went...(laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Oh, my gosh. Randy Lewis: Unfortunately, the car broke like five-left later, but I pulled out a lead and then unfortunately lost the diff, but-
Doug Shafer:
Oh, good for you. Randy Lewis: ...it was fun.
Doug Shafer:
But, you- you take it out and just run it, you-you, cuz I know they have days you can go down and take your car out and just run. Randy Lewis: Exactly-
Doug Shafer:
Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...and that's what I do.
Doug Shafer:
Okay Randy Lewis: Yeah
Doug Shafer:
So Randy, if people want to find your wine, what's the best way to do it? Randy Lewis: Well, you know, we're- we have a mailing list of course,-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...and, um, so we sell quite a bit winery-direct. Um, we're very proud to be in a lot of the top restaurants in the country, as you are well, obviously.
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: That's how Debbie and I started; it was obviously retail as well cuz our friends, that's where we bought our wine from, so you're gonna sell to your friends, right?
Doug Shafer:
Right. Randy Lewis: But, uh, yeah, so. And if they don't know where to get it they can certainly call us and-
Doug Shafer:
Oh Yeah. Randy Lewis: ...we can tell them where to get it in their state or whatever-
Doug Shafer:
Okay. Randy Lewis: ...if they wanna have it shipped there from us and so forth and so on.
Doug Shafer:
And website is... Randy Lewis: Lewiscellars.com.
Doug Shafer:
Okay, so that'll give you phone numbers and- Randy Lewis: Yeah.
Doug Shafer:
They can order off the website? Randy Lewis: They can.
Doug Shafer:
Great, good.
Doug Shafer:
All right my- listen, it's so good to see you. Thanks for coming in. I really wanted to hear about that- the race car guy; finally, after all these years. So, thanks for telling me your story. Randy Lewis: Well, I- you're very welcome. It was fun to be here and you know how much I love your wines, and I'm seri- you know that I've been collecting Shafer for a long time. (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
It's mutual. Randy Lewis: (laughs)
Doug Shafer:
Thanks Randy, take care. Randy Lewis: Okay.