In 1810, a French Huguenot emigre named Jean Jaques purchased land in New York's bucolic Hudson Valley and began planting grapes. By 1837, Mr. Jaques needed more land, so he purchased a plot in the quiet village of Washingtonville, NY, and planted another vineyard. By 1839, his first underground cellars were dug and Mr. Jaques fermented his first wine vintage. Those cellars, the oldest and largest in America, are still in use today at Brotherhood Winery. This is the oldest winery in the United States.
The Jaques family made wine at the Washingtonville facility for almost 60 years, selling much of it to Jesse and Edward Emerson, two New York City wine merchants. The Emersons, Finger Lakes vinters themselves, understood the high quality of Mr. Jaques' wine and used it to improve a blend of wine from an organization called The Brotherhood of New Life - an experiment in utopian communal living in the Hudson Valley. When the Emerson family took control of the Washingtonville winery, they renamed it Brotherhood, a name that it still proudly bears today.
The Emerson family operated Brotherhood until Prohibition. In 1921, Louis Farrell purchased the winery and its large stock of sacramental wine. He sold wine for religious ceremonies throughout Prohibition, which was finally repealed in 1933. It has been noted that the clergy population in the area grew substantially during this period.
Louis and his wife were the first to grasp the value of Brotherhood's location, as the nearest winery to New York City. They began conducting tours of the winery, highlighting the now-enlarged underground cellars, the history of the facility and its picturesque site. In fact, the Farrell family initiated the very concept of wine tourism, hosting parties and events at the winery that drew hundreds of thousands of fans annually, and introduced the Brotherhood brand to generations of American drinkers.
8a
New York » Finger Lakes
"Sweet, red wine with a saucy, sweet, tart, spicy taste. Just heat, then wait for the pungent and tantalizing aroma that will make any day
18bNew York » Finger Lakes
"Carpe Diem (Seize the Day) invites you to do just that. Made from Italy's Moscato grape, Carpe Diem is handcrafted to retain the natural fruit
36cNew York » Finger Lakes
"Sweet, rich full-bodied ruby-red dessert wine with a velvety smooth and fruity taste. Brotherhood is known for its award-winning Port." ~Winery Notes
35fNew York » Finger Lakes
"A special celebratory Mead of old served at weddings and homecoming feasts, given to honor the knight upon his triumphant return. The Mead is sweet
101bNew York » Finger Lakes
"Brotherhood's best selling wine, this beautiful Riesling has delicate floral and lime aromas and full, ripe flavors, off-dry and very fruity. Perfectly balanced, with a
8dNew York » Finger Lakes
"Brotherhood's best selling wine, this beautiful Riesling has delicate floral and lime aromas and full, ripe flavors, off-dry and very fruity. Perfectly balanced, with a
8eNew York » Finger Lakes
"This “Burgundian” style, light brick-red, dry wine is surprisingly complex. Barrel-aged for at least 6 months, it has a berry nose and a hint of
35bNew York » Finger Lakes
" Fresh fruit taste with orange and lemon natural flavors. Light body, very easy to drink! Sangria is a wine punch made with fruit, wine,
8aNew York » Finger Lakes
" May Wine, made by combining fresh flowers of woodruff, strawberries and young wine, has been used to celebrate the coming spring in Germany for
"This surprisingly dry, white wine o¬ffers bright aromas of fresh lime, tropical fruit and has a light mineral quality. Very crisp, with the mouth-watering taste
" Crisp, dry and racy, with grapefruit and pear scents, this Riesling shows the ripe fruit flavors and slightly mineral qualities of its fine European
"Aged in limousin oak barrels for over 2 years. Complex, full-bodied, excellent for aging."
"This ruby red wine is dry and full-bodied, yet soft on the palate. Barrel-aged for at least 6 months, it has complex aromas and flavors
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