Winery on the Rise

Barton Towell and Patrick Walsh may not operate the biggest winery around, but they're more than proud of the wine that they produce.

Towell and Walsh, best buddies since they played soccer together in elementary school, often got together to brew wine and beer at each other’s houses. Towell bought his grandparents’ 25-acre farm in 2008 after the couple had passed away. When he and Walsh made five gallons of wine from Niagara grapes grown on the farm for Walsh’s 2008 wedding, the winery was born.

“It wasn’t hard to have people try it,” Towell remembers with a smirk. “The wine was very drinkable, and convinced us to continue making wine.”

Drinkability aside, Towell and Walsh realized there was a big difference between brewing for fun and bottling for dollars. So they wisely decided not to quit their day jobs. Towell is an IT analyst at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Hamot. And Walsh is an electrical engineer at Eaton Corp.

Each man taught himself how to make wine in his own way.

 “I asked a lot of local winemakers a lot of questions, and asked a lot of Google questions online,” says Towell, the computer man. “Pat’s an engineer, so he’s pretty scientific. He did lots of trial and error with small batches." 

The winery’s biggest seller is its Derby Red, a sangria-like blend of Fredonia and Concord grapes. The oak-aged Chardonnay, with a hint of toasted caramel, also is popular.

In 2010, while pursuing his MBA, Walsh wrote a business plan for a winery that won a $4,000 award from the Northwestern Collegiate Business Plan Competition. That seed money was enough to buy grape crushing and de-stemming machines. 6 Mile Cellars — so named because of its proximity to 6 Mile Creek, was born.

Though the tasting room, located inside a refurbished century-old horse barn, is only open Saturdays and Sundays, their mail-order business is growing, and in 2012 the winery almost sold out of the nine vintages — 5,500 bottles — it produced.

In 2013, the winery’s goal is to make 11,000 bottles, and still stay small.

“Part of what makes this fun is we’re not living off it,” he says. “Hopefully, it’ll make money at some time, but we’re just having a blast doing it.”

Perfect Pairs

Bart Towell, co-owner of 6 Mile Cellars, suggests you try these wines with your next meal.

Winsome Red ($18): This medium-body blend of Cabernet Franc and Noiret grapes has a light, peppery taste that pairs well with steak or a hearty pasta dish.

Winsome White ($16): Riesling and Sevyal Blanc grapes blend to create a semi-sweet wine to serve with chicken or turkey.

Derby Red ($11): A sweet wine that can be served as an appetizer wine with cheese, or chilled and offered as a dessert wine.

Info to Go
6 Mile Cellars
5727 Firman Road
Erie, Pa.
814-580-8375
6milecellars.com