In November 2009 an email exchange between two BMW GS owners has since resulted in a series of world-class wines dedicated to `adventure riders'.

Californian Mike Kuimelis of Mantra Wines and Jim Hyde of the BMW Off Road training Academy are both big fans of the GS and share a deep passion for fine wine.

Mike has been involved in the wine industry since childhood, when he used to help his father tend his vineyards. Mike grew up knowing all the local winemakers in his community. He made his first wine in his garage at age 27 - a barrel of Cabernet that rendered 25 cases of wine and tasted good enough for him to set aside dreams of medical school to focus on a career in alternative medicine - wine making! After numerous vintages of experimentation, and apprenticeships at various wineries he started Mantra Wines with his wife and parents, using grapes from the same vineyards that he has known since childhood.

Jim Hyde is the owner and operator of RawHyde Adventures, which is BMW's official enduro training center in California, and his interest in fine wine extends through to his training programmes via the serving of great wines at dinner during the trainings.

A dedicated GS rider, Mike was put in contact with Jim Hyde from RawHyde Adventures, by a mutual friend who had attended one of Jim's off-road motorcycle training camps. This mutual friend knew that Jim's love of good wine was one of the reasons he started RawHyde Adventures, the two men met and instantly hit it off when Mike attended a training session with Jim.

Mike Kuimelis and Jim Hyde

There followed a wine tasting session on the final evening, where Mike roasted a wild boar from Sonoma County and paired it with Mantra wines. This `Swine and Wine' event was a huge success and Jim and Mike started talking about developing a wine exclusively for adventure riders - made by a genuine GS adventure rider.

A commemorative edition `RawHyde Adventure Rider Challenge Cabernet Sauvignon' was produced and labelled specifically for this year's International GS Trophy qualifier event, and a more comprehensive range is being produced for release later this year, as Mike explains.

"I love motorcycle adventure riding and I love the GS. When I think of these wines I think of why people choose a BMW motorcycle - excellent craftsmanship, dependability, performance and adventure! That is what we are striving for in creating this line of wines. We will produce a Cabernet, a Syrah and a Bordeaux style blend - all of the wines will be big, bold and balanced. Each wine will have a different image but each image will be consistent with the theme of Adventure Riding."

RawHyde's Grand Syrah

Mike Kuimelis and Jim Hyde

Currently, Mike's company produces very limited quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc, with an annual production of just under 4,000 cases. Mantra is now distributed in 16 states and Canada, and continues to grow as it achieves high scores from noted critics and publications such as the Wine Advocate, Wine and Spirits, The New York Times and Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine. However, with the number of GS owners growing year by year, Mike might just have discovered a huge international opportunity for growth, especially during the 30th anniversary celebrations of the GS range.

RawHyde Adventures' boss Jim Hyde has been a lover of fine wines for many years, so this latest partnership between RawHyde and Mantra will see him achieve his goal of providing world class wines to adventure riders.

"After a hard day in the saddle of a GS, there's nothing better than sitting down to dinner and a glass of quality wine with the participants on our off-road riding courses and sharing tales of the day's riding," he says. "I like to share my love of wines with others and to have the opportunity to work with Mike and produce a series of wines dedicated to the adventure riding community is just awesome. We've included a special section on the RawHyde Adventures website that gives details on all these wines, because we anticipate that their appeal will stretch far and wide."

For more information on off-road riding at the official BMW Motorrad Partner's dedicated facility in California, visit the www.bmwoffroadacademy.com website, which also carries details on these special wines. For more information on the GS-owning producer, visit www.mantrawines.com or call Mike directly at 707-529-3329. This number is printed on every cork of wine as his commitment to quality.