Brotherhood Winery - The oldest operating winery in the United States

John Jaques, a French cobbler, began cultivating indigenous grape varieties in his backyard in Washingtonville, NY, in 1824. In 1837, he acquired land in Washingtonville where he planted the grape seeds. By 1839, he shifted his focus to winemaking and introduced his inaugural commercial vintage, which he named "Blooming Grove Winery." Although the majority of sales did not come from the general public, local clergies became the primary customers.

In 1858, Jaques retired from winemaking and passed the vineyard on to his sons John, Oren, and Charles, who renamed it "Jaques Brothers' Winery." The Jaques Brothers successfully operated the winery for another 28 years, expanding their manufacturing and distribution facilities across the Northeast region.

In 1886, James M. Emerson and his son, Edward R., purchased the winery from Charles, the last surviving Jaques brother. To accommodate the growing production demands, the small Washingtonville vineyard underwent significant expansion, including the construction of multiple buildings and underground vaults. The Emersons rebranded the business as "Brotherhood" and further improved the facilities by preserving the sole remaining original building on the winery's property and establishing spacious underground winemaking facilities. Additionally, Emerson expanded the enterprise by setting up a shipping point and headquarters in New York City, as well as acquiring vineyards and wine cellars in Hammondsport, NY.

Despite the challenges of the Prohibition era, the winery continued its operations by producing sacramental wine for the Catholic Church. In 1921, ownership of the winery passed to Louis Farrell and his son, Louis Jr. The Farrells retained ownership until 1947 when both the father and son passed away in quick succession.

In 1987, Chilean winemaker Cesar Baeza purchased Brotherhood with the aim of transforming it into a prestigious wine destination and revitalizing interest in its storied past.
Brotherhood Winery - The oldest operating winery in the United States