601 Cellars

WINE TALK
1

The owner of 601 Cellars, Brian Doody, dropped in today to tell us about his wines. The short story is he and his wife fell in love with Italian wines, particularly Sangiovese and Super Tuscan, moved to Napa and pursued their dream of making wines like those they enjoyed in Italy. All production is small and prices reasonable. We didn’t get a chance to taste the wines today, but will arrange for tasting. CA Sangiovese doesn’t fly off the shelf and I think we have two brands. I had never heard of a Super Tuscan from Napa or CA, but I am intrigued knowing how well I liked Gaya, Antinori Tig and a couple others. The Gaya and Tig move but $$$$. Brian lists his Super Tuscan at $58.00.

Here are my questions to the rest of you:

  1. Do you drink much CA Sangiovese
  2. Do you prefer your Sangiovese to be Chianti or with more fruit flavor and less acidity
  3. What do you think about a Super Tuscan emulated with CA fruit? Possible? Interesting?

I should have told him to join WB and offer some wine for Berserker day but he doesn’t make that much wine.

2
  1. I’d drink more if I knew where to look. I just haven’t run across that many examples, but the handful I’ve found I recall enjoying.
  2. I do prefer my Sangiovese to be Chianti-like. That said I’m VERY open to a unique California expression. I’ve really enjoyed the California versions of classically Italian grapes I’ve had previously - for example, Clendenen’s Nebbiolo.
  3. I personally wouldn’t be as excited by Cali-style Super Tuscans, but that has more to do with not being enamoured by the idea of Super Tuscans in the first place. Others may enjoy these more.
3

If you try them and like them, I will buy a couple from you and report.

4

I remember liking the old 90’s Atlas Peak Sangiovese, then found out it was 25% Cab or some such to allow varietal labelling.

They were getting fruit from Antinori Napa that later became Antica Napa Valley.

5

What is 601 supposed to mean? A meme?

6

I’d be game to try a few. A less acidic Chianti might be nice from time to time. We don’t drink much CA Sangiovese because it’s cheap enough from Italy. Decent Chiantis are only $20.

7

Easier to buy Chianti from 2013 or get wines from Maremma.

8

Marcus, from the website and from Brian, it was the trip to Tuscany in June, 2001 that shaped their future and brought them to Napa to make wine.

THE DREAM
As avid lifestyle travelers, foodies and wine lovers, we were planning our itinerary for a trip to Tuscany in June 2001.

9

Thanks! I was thinking it might have been some obscure music reference (think Eno’s “801”).

10

That’s awesome.

I thought Domaine Serene was taken from Manzanera’s song “Flight 19.”

11

Brian and his wife dropped in this afternoon to pour their wines. The wines included a Sierra Hills Sangiovese, a Napa valley Sangiovese and a Napa Valley Super Tuscan. The Sierra Hills started out austere with a lot of acidity and after 15 minutes in the glass, it shows clean, bright fruit and begs for cheese, but holding on to the acidity. The Napa Valley Sangiovese was heavier in body and tasty. Bring on the bigger appetizers, this wine wants food. The Super Tuscan I will post on another thread when my drunken thumbs can complete a sentence… The Super Tuscan kicks ass.