Brotherhood Winery

Infobox nrhp
name = Brotherhood Winery
nrhp_type =

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caption = Sign painted on large wine barrel at Brotherhood Winery
location = Washingtonville, NY
nearest_city = Newburgh
lat_degrees = 41
lat_minutes = 25
lat_seconds = 42
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 74
long_minutes = 09
long_seconds = 41
long_direction = W
area =
built = 1838
architect =
architecture =
added = 2000
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 00000345
mpsub =
governing_body = Private businessThe Brotherhood Winery is commonly acknowledged to be the oldest operating winery in the United States. It is located in Washingtonville, New York, a community in the Hudson Valley, and produced its first commercial vintage in 1839. In 2000 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. [National Register of Historical Place, "NEW YORK - Orange County"] . The winery uses the slogan "America's Oldest Winery."

History

Brotherhood Winery was started by a European immigrant named John Jaques, who deeded it in 1858 to his three sons, John Jr., Oren, and Charles, later renaming it "Jacques Brothers' Winery." In 1886, ownership of winery came under the father and son ownership of James M. and Edward R. Emerson, acquiring it from Charles, the last surviving Jaques brother. The Emersons renamed the operation "Brotherhood" and expanded its facilities to include the single remaining original building on the winery's property, as well as adding large underground winemaking facilities. Edward wrote the book "The Story of the Vine" while in ownership of Brotherhood. [Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Cornell University Library. "Guide to the Brotherhood Wine Company Records,1822-2006 Collection Number: 6701"]

The winery remained in operation during Prohibition as it produced sacramental wine for the Catholic Church. New ownership came in 1921 with Louis Farrell and his son Louis Jr. The Farrells owned the winery until 1947 when both the father and son died in close succession. Control of the winery passed to three Farrell cousins. Francis Farrell was the cousin that ran the vineyard through the World War II era. An expansion included visitor tour facilities and recognition for award-wining wines in regional wine competitions. [Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Cornell University Library. "Guide to the Brotherhood Wine Company Records,1822-2006 Collection Number: 6701"]

The most recent change of ownership occurred in 1987 when Cesar Baeza purchased the winery. [Brotherhood Winery, "History"] Baeza established vineyards on Long Island during the 1990s. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted there and produced into wine are noted as standouts on their sales list. [Brotherhood Winery, "History"]

Wines

Prior to the ownership of Cesar Baeza, the winery was known for its Vitis Labrusca-based wines, with some seasoned with fresh herbs and spices based on 19th century formulas. [Bruce Case and Jancis Robinson, 78-79] The spiced wine known as "holiday wine" has been a winery best seller for many years. The winery also produces various specialty wines, including one flavored with ginseng and a May wine with sweet strawberry flavors. The winery also produces a version of wine similar to mead made from wildflower honey and an Ethiopian style honey wine named "Sheba Te'j Honey Wine". [Brotherhood Winery, "Shop"]

In the 1970s the winery began producing wines made from French hybrid grapes which the winery still sells. [Bruce Case and Jancis Robinson, 78-79] Under the ownership of Cesar Baeza the winery has begun creating wines from Vitis Vinifera grapes. Wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling and a White Zinfandel. [Brotherhood Winery, "Shop"]

See also

New York wine

Further reading

Emerson, Edward R., The Story of the Vine. New York and London:G. P. Putnam's sons, 1902
::Not in copyright, digital edition can be found at http://www.archive.org/details/storyofvine00emerrich

Notes

Works Cited

*Brotherhood Winery, "History", Retrieved on April 6, 2007 from http://www.brotherhoodwinery.net/pages/history.asp
*Brotherhood Winery, "Shop", Retrieved on April 6, 2007 from http://www.brotherhoodwinery.net/pages/shop.asp
*Bruce Cass and Jancis Robinson, ed., The Oxford Companion to the Wine of North America, New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
*Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Cornell University Library. (2006) "Guide to the Brotherhood Wine Company Records,1822-2006 Collection Number: 6701" Retrieved on April 6, 2007 from http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM06701.html
*National Register of Historical Place, "NEW YORK - Orange County". Retrieved on April 6, 2007 from http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/NY/Orange/state.html