Washingtonville, a quaint village in Orange County with a history of over two hundred years, was named in honor of George Washington. The residents take great pride in both the history and the growth of their community.
In 1837, Jean Jacques, a French Huguenot émigré, purchased land in Washingtonville in order to plant vineyards. Within two years, underground cellars were excavated by hand and Jacques’ first wine vintage was fermented. These cellars, the oldest and largest in the United States, are used today at the Brotherhood Winery located at 100 Brotherhood Plaza Drive.
Today, visitors can tour these dimly lit cellars, which house over two hundred oak barrels and feature a crested vault containing some of the oldest vintages in the United States.
For 60 years, Jacques continued to make wine until he eventually sold the winery to the Emersons, NYC wine merchants. The Emerson family renamed the Washingtonville winery, the Brotherhood Winery. In 1921, Louis Farrell purchased the winery.
The Vinum Café, located on the historic site of the Brotherhood Winery, occupies the ground floor of the original winery building circa 1839. Their award winning chef who has earned some of the highest recognition in the Hudson Valley shares his love for fine food and gourmet cooking.
In the tasting room, Brotherhood Winery supports talented local artists with changing exhibitions.
On Saturday, June 2, from 1-6pm, the Brotherhood Wine and Beer Festival will feature Brotherhood’s famous collection of wine, Yuengling’s assortment of beers, Newburgh Brewing Company’s new releases, along with many other favorite fine craft breweries.
