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Brotherhood, Americas Oldest Winery in Washingtonville
Categories
Location on the map
Washingtonville, Orange County, New York, US
Service options
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Phone: +1 845-496-3661
Site: http://www.brotherhood-winery.com/
Site: http://www.brotherhood-winery.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:11AM–5PM
- Wednesday:11AM–5PM
- Thursday:11AM–5PM
- Friday:11AM–6PM
- Saturday:11AM–6PM
- Sunday:11AM–5PM
Comments (199)
Ive been to wineries all around new york state and the rest of the country, and this one takes the cake as the worst wine Ive ever tasted. It was honestly shockingly bad. The marketing ploy that it is the oldest winery in America was what drew us in, as Im sure it does to many, but calling this place a winery is a disgrace to small wineries around the country making amazing wines with much less resources. Seriously, there was not even one wine here that was remotely good. I really hope that someday this company decides to take their product a little more seriously, because it would be really cool if this was not the case.The atmosphere inside felt like a cracker barrel.
Outstanding winery. Beautiful and the staff is so friendly and great. Wines are amazing. Been here a few times and I definitely recommend!
A nice, relaxing place to visit. I would have given it five stars, but the person at the wine tasting counter almost zero knowledge of wines. I asked her to recommend a wine to match the food we were going to order, and she had absolutely no idea. We ordered takeout from the restaurant that is a few steps from the winery patio, a charcuterie board and a pasta dish with sausage and ground beef, Penne ala Donato. Both were very good, and a solo guitarist entertained us. The whole experience was excellent, and my wife and I will definitely be back again.
Brotherhood winery has a diverse collection of wines at reasonable prices. You can also do wine tastings, which is very popular so it is best to make a reservation beforehand. If you prefer bubbly wine, Carpe diem is a good choice!
This is a days outing trip. There is a restaurant, giftshop,guided Museum tours, wine tasting and you can have weddings there. Beautiful scenery with the whysteria vines growing up the brick walls, and grapevines growing in front of the wine store.
Given that this is the oldest winery in the US, we figured we had to stop here since we were in the Hudson Valley.I love a good tour, I love learning about places, so I would highly recommend the tour here if youve never done it. Fun fact - during prohibition they were allowed to stay open because they made Communion wine for the church :-)The tasting was also an enjoyable affair, with lots of choice and our tour and tasting guide was great. Theres probably a wine for everyone type of wine drinker.There arent really any views here, no big open spaces and rolling hills, but that worked out fine for us since it was a cold day and we wanted to be inside anyway.Definitely worth checking out :-)
Make a reservation if you want to do a tasting. Wide selection of wines, spacious inside, nice they offered live music, I wish they had more outdoor seating. We had a great day here and will be back.
Oh what a fun time! We got there on a friday at 11:30 just in time for the first tour and tasting. The tour takes about 30-40 minutes and you get to to go in their cellar and see how they started and all the old equipment they used. You will get to see their barrels of aging wine and tour of the buildings. Then the tasting begins! You get 5 tastings, but the pour is enormous at least for a tasting it is. As a couple that works out to 10 tastings, if you each pick something different! The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Prices are very reasonable, the real champagne is only $39.99 and most wines are between $10-$24
What an amazing place to be! The tour was very nice and full of history as it is the oldest winery in America. After the tour, we had the wine tasting. Bought a bunch of bottles after lol. So fabulous! Coming back again to buy more wine and maybe do the tour again with other friends.
LOVELY ESTABLISHMENT ! The grounds are absolutely stunning! Tons of wonderful places to sit & picnic with a tasty bottle of wine. Unfortunately the factory was closed due to covid but still a great experience ! Yummy food, delicious wine, live music for wine tasting.
Great idea to spend Saturdays afternoon. We enjoyed the tour and wine tasting. Be ready that there are no wine yards and they dont show wine making process, but the history of winery is very interesting, they survived the Prohibition. The wine is not expensive and there are many types to try at tasting + you can keep the glass:)
Maybe I had too much expectation for the “oldest wine yard in American”, but when I saw a freaking modern bottling factory with a graveyard on its side, I was shocked. Yes, the bottling factory is here for them to making some profit, but for a historically place like this, they should at least try to hide the modernness of this factory a little bit. Love the storage museum, that was some history I’m looking forward to see. Hope they could make it great again!
Absolutely amazing! If you enjoy wine or would like to gain more information or knowledge about wine and are in the area, look no further than here! Extraordinary people who are super knowledgeable about the winery as well as the wine and theyre super friendly. Ill definitely be back for another tour!
The Grand Monarque Hall is absolutely stunning with exposed beams, high ceilings , chandeliers and flooring. All if the stone sided buildings create the perfect atmosphere and the mansion on site with stone arches creates a perfect photograph moment. The factory next door where you can see the process in action, and the vineyard in the front are also great! Also I recommend a tasting where youll get to sample 5 great wines and take home a branded wine glass!
Oldest winery in US! Delucious buttery Brotherhood Winery wine. Friendly staff, so many beverages to choose from, liquor, wine, to beer (no drafts). No military discount offered, but they do donate to DAV (disabled American veterans). They were able to accommodate us with an appetizer, even though they were about to close the kitchen. Thankful because the mussels were phenomenal!
The tour and tasting was amazing. My mom went here on a tour back in the 70s in elementary school and we enjoyed talking about our experiences. The wine was amazing. Especially the chocolate and the ginger honey wine. Im from orange county but I moved to CA years ago and I was happy to find out that Brotherhood gets their grapes from Paso Robles, CA. My family and I are wine club members at multiple wineries in Paso but the wine here at Brotherhood exceeds all the wines I had in California which says alot. Please stop by for a informative tour and a tasting
The Winery tour for Brotherhood was very good. They explained the history of the Winery, showed us the barrel room, and the Champaign storage unit. The wine tasting section itself was a bit of a let down only because the employee doing the tasting came across desperate trying to sell the wine. Soon as you knocked him off his scripted spiel he was not able to answer basic questions. That being said, the wine itself was very good; we bought a case of wine. While the wine tasting was a bit unusual compared to others weve been too, it still was very good.
I had a blast here. The wine tour and tasting were very reasonably priced, the staff is fantastic and the wine is always good. Worth every penny.
This is by far the worst customer service I’ve experienced. I was excited to share this experience and history with my friend from out of town. Not once were we greeted or asked if we needed assistance. Every single worker was on their PHONE and did not even lift their chin to say anything. I’m embarrassed that I recommended this place to my friend. Never returning.Pitiful. Please do better.
This is The Oldest winery in America and is a great place for a day trip from Manhattan. Its only a bit over an hour drive from midtown Manhattan. We really enjoyed the tour with wine tasting. Our tour guide was knowledgeable on wine as well as the history of the winery and she would tell you some fun facts about the place. As for tasting, weve tried a few red, white, rose and Champagne!!This place is also good for weddings!!
What a treasure of our local history. Great to see Brotherhood Winery withstanding the test of times. Great wine, scenery and ambience. ✨👌🏽🍷
Nice tasting room, note now need to book an appt, cant just walk in now due to COVID. Wines ok and grapes not from the winery, they source from various vineyards in other NY AVAs now. They dont grow their own grapes, more of a contract winery now, but if near by like we were then stop by
Wonderful visit. The whole bus really enjoyed the tour and tastings. It was a relaxing and happy afternoon after visit the watchtower farms.
Very nice experience 👌. They had a live band plus ➕ wine 🍷 tasting 😋 Perfect afternoon
So much fun and excellent wine. Socially distanced wine tasting with a very entertaining sommelier. Highly recommended.
What wonderful history.... the oldest winery in America.... is in New York!! Beautiful scenery... the wine is very tasty...different flavors for the many likings....
Changed so much some wines no longer made, no one to give help on changes. SD tastings leaves a lot to be desired.
Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. The tasting is fantastic is certainly worth it! This is a must see and visit for anyone in the area or traveling through.
I went for my 25th birthday & I loved this winery. The tour was very informative, the guide was nice and the place had a great look to it. The wine was good.... I even purchased some at the end of the tasting. If I go again I want to try their restaurant. Note: If you are looking to explore vineyards, thats not here. This place is more wine making, history and underground storage tour. Really enjoyed it.
Fantastic winery with a great tour (Ryan was awesome). Would like to taste more wines and wouldnt mind paying for more! That being said, its nice to have choices within the flight. Highly recommend.
Ive been there in February and it was excellent and today was just the same. We did the Tasting with Tom, a older gentleman who was great (informative and hilarious n yet very sweet). We did our Tasting and then was able to make purchases, the staff is always very friendly and helpful. The guys at the front desk where you pay for your tasting, hilarious and kind. I will be back. FYI, YOU GET A FREE WINE GLASS TO KEEP.
Wow! Loved my experience there. Ryan truly made it special! He helped with tastings and suggestions. He was truly happy to be there and was so personable. He truly made the experience special. Also, there was a younger man with blondish hair and light eyes (green or blue) that was such a pleasant, hard worker. He wasn’t phased by the business but kept his positive, polite and helpful nature. It was surprising to see that type of work ethic from such a young person. I will definitely go back!
Went here over the summer for Mac and cheese fest. Their wine selection is one of the best in the Hudson valley and the food expo events they throw all the time are always delicious and worth the view. This is one of my absolute favorite local wineries. The brotherhood Riesling is to die for. I would highly recommend this place If youre looking for a classy place to hangout.
Wonderful tour through the cellars with fun facts and great information. Excellent tastings with knowledgeable staff. Nice selection of wines for any price range.
This place is great for Sunday activities. Wine ship is also stocked with so many options. This place is amazing.
We had the best time. They are the oldest winery which survived the Prohibition because they sold their wine for medicinal purpose. How awesome is that?! It was too cold to tour but we will be back in the spring. And, we want to go back for the grape stomping! BTW, if you purchase 6 bottles there is a 10% discount; 12 bottles 15% discount.
Second visit - had a special event on - but the oldest US winery is a must - today was very crowded - the restaurant and terrace lounge outside the main bar are so good
As other people have said the facility has a nice construction. Wine selection is not that great and staff is very rude.if you want to spend a nice afternoon we friends don’t come here.Wine tasting it’s supposed to be 45 minutes but they pushed you out after 30 minutes , we were a party of 6 after we paid they gave us 1 table number with 4 seats and they kept coming at us asking to leave, even though with purchase more wines,very rude. Finally we were so uncomfortable that we decided to leave to another winery
Free glasses to take with a tasting. The women there were very nice and helpful. Would definitely be interested to go on the weekend and see how busy it gets. Wednesday early afternoon is a great time to go if you want to avoid a crowd.
Amazing time touring the oldest Winery in the U.S. Follow our adventure via Facebook/Instagram @ Happy Campers 227 as we travel this country full time.
This is a nice winery. We bought a bottle of wine and had it outside in a very relaxing day. They carry also some great wines from South America (Chile and Argentina). They also have a nice store which sells wine related items, we loved it! I highly recommend coming to this winery!The only suggestion I would make (geographically wise) is to call it “The oldest winery in the US” or something like that. America is a continent, not a country. Having said that, America’s oldest winery is “Casa Madero”, which is in Mexico and goes back to 1597.
We made a reservation on the website for New Years Day. We were charged $15 per person and showed up to find out the Winery was closed for New Years Day. We have reached out to the winery but have never received a refund.
Beautiful grounds, nice to walk around and explore. They had live music going on outside in the patio area. Really cool, will visit again.
Great Scott, the dry rose, dry reisling, and the Cabernet Sauvignon are all wonderful. Beautiful scenery too! 30% off on a case is a deal amongst deals!
The tasting was pretty good. Not the greatest presentation! The restaurant on site was really good.
Social distancing rules are well implemented. Restrooms were clean and the tasting was outdoors.It felt rushed. You only have 30 minutes to do the tasting and theres no explanation about the winery or how the wine is made. Probably thats due to Covid-19, but it felt kind of detached. You only have the characteristics of the wine on the sheet of paper where you select which ones you want to try.The amount you get for what you pay is okay.The only place to sit was in the courtyard, which is fairly small. Itd been nice if they had tables more spread out to other areas.The overall experience is not bad, but if youre not in the area, driving all the way there is not worth it.
The process was seamless and safe. And the wine was awesome. I enjoyed the live music.
I think peoples expectation of wine testing is very low when they give this place 5 stars. Thier wines are very bad ! They tasted like water! We tasted total of 10 wines (they only have 15) and they all tasted bad.... also its so disrespectful that they give wine tasting in a very very small platic cups !!! I cant believe that! For $15 per person you need to be able to taste wine with more amount of wine !!!! They give you two sips of wine in plastic cups. Also they will place you to sit under the sun for tasting! I would not recommend this place at all.
First I’d like acknowledge the excellent aesthetic quality developed here, the well maintained property, and that my wife and I are clearly not this winery’s target demographic.Having said that, this place is not for people who love wine. I’m convinced of that-despite only having ever been there once(a Saturday), because they seem to have forgotten what their founders knew about making good wine. I tasted two of my flight samples and found them watery and sweet(like juice).The procedure for serving flights is efficient, but the presentation is cheap and paltry. They use plastic 1oz. cups on a paper plate. While I can forgive the paper plates(barely), COVID is absolutely no excuse to not be serving 2oz pours in plastic wine glasses, at the very least.This place appears to instead be a destination place for locals to hang out and have a good time. While this is in keeping with the role wine played in communal celebrations, we were so put off by the party atmosphere from the DJ blasting music for people to dance to, that we threw out the remainder of our flight and left.Massivley dissappointed in the amount of wine our money purchased and the feeble presentation-it’s definately sub-par in relation to almost any other winery.Again, I get that this place isn’t for us, but I find the emphasis of a party over wine indicative of their priorities.
It’s a great place! Our tour guide Jeff was awesome! A must visit if you are in the area!
It may be Americas oldest winery, but visitors beware. We were greeted by a women with grey hair when we requested a tasting at the register. She was extremely rude. We were also asked to leave our table prior to our 45 minute tasting was over. Im not saying dont come, but dont come until after all this Covid nonsense is over. I hope the owner sees this. I even showed her my receipt with time stamp that shows what time I sat at the table. I purchased 6 bottles of wine and if I could I would have returned them. Lady had zero couth. Maybe she needs to retire. Bring someone in who is respectful and classy.
OMG I love this place. Its really nice to spend free time with someone special or family. Not expensive.
We drove an hour to enjoy the winery. We did a tasting, bought a bottle of wine and ordered food. They gave us 45 minutes and told us we had to leave the area we were in because they had reservations coming in. Since there were no available tables anywhere else we left.
I’m from the area and have been wanting to come here for a while and switch it up from going to the Warwick Winery. My friend and I got there and had to wait around for the tour, which is totally fine, but upon going up to the bar to get a glass of wine while we waited we were told they don’t serve wine by the glass, only the bottle, and that we weren’t allowed to do the tasting we already paid for before the tour. Just very strange because we just wanted to have a nice winery day.The tour was cool but could have been a bit more lively. However, Steven knew a lot about the wine during the tasting which was super helpful.I guess my main takeaway is if you wanted an outdoorsy fun winery day, head to the Warwick winery. But if you’re more interested in the history of the wine and don’t mind not being able to order as you would at a traditional bar, then you should have an enjoyable experience here.
It was awesome!! Everything has changed with COVID-19, but the staff still provided the best experience. After our tasting, where we were introduced to some great tasting wine, we had lunch at the restaurant. Christian was great, attentive, and friendly. The food was delicious and we will definitely go back.
Clean, organized, nice selection. We were outdoors for the tasting and it was chilly. Should consider heater.
First time here and I absolutely loved it!! Dined at 1839 restaurant and we received top notch service. Our server was Jasmine, who was absolutely wonderful. Picked up a few bottles of wine to enjoy later.
Cute winery with a long history. Has a number of wines to choose from and you can either share a bottle with your friend or stick to the tasting options.The grounds have a number of old building for those perfect Instagram shots 😉
Very large winery complex with full restaurant, tasting room, and retail shop. Some of the wines tasted great, others not so much. Staff was friendly and helpful though. Worth checking out if you are in the area!
I came to this winery last week with a friend when we were visiting the Hudson Valley. We were VERY excited to try the different wines, as we read that this was the oldest winery in the U.S. When we arrived, without even greeting us, a woman just said to us very sternly that the next wine tasting wasn’t until about an hour later. We had no problem waiting so we went shopping for some wine bottles. I ended up buying 3 bottles since I was eager to bring them home. When we went back to the registration desk to book the wine tasting, less than 10 minutes later, the same woman rudely told us that they were not taking any more bookings for the day. This was a surprise. Had we been told that the slots would close within the next 10 minutes, we would’ve registered first before browsing the store. We were not only upset that she had unexpectedly declined the wine tasting, we were also upset about the way she talked to us. We had different expectations for visiting this winery. This was the last stop of our trip and we were hoping that it would end on a good note.
The best place for a nice relaxing wine tasting in NY. The place is very beautiful, social distance is definitely done, you need to reserve ahead to do a tasting, no tours allow. You can do the tasting, and have food outside the place. They also have live music.
Had a good time. Had lunch, tasted some wine, purchased a few bottles.
Visited this winery for the second time. Loved the wine both times and will be back again. Friendly tasting staff. Be aware they dont do tours in winter. That being said theres a much more relaxed vibe since its not as busy.
My wife and I came here to do a wine tour. Besides the wine tour we were interested to learn about the Oldest Winery in America. The wine tour only cost $10 each, free wine glass each and we were given a tour and history of the vineyard, which as a history guy was great for me. After about 45 min to an hour we went to the wine tasting. For each round you are offered 3 different types of wine to sample. You are given 5 wine tastings but if you and your significant other order different wines then youre really tasting 10 different wines. They offered a ton of variety that is produced by their company. Some are winners and some arent but I suppose that all depends on your taste for wine. After the wine tasting there is a large retail location to purchase the Brotherhood brand of wine. There was a nice outdoor area with seating where you could purchase a glass of wine, sit down and listen to the live DJ. They also have a restaurant that we didnt try but Id definitely give it a shot. Bring a designated driver just in case cops are outside the property waiting because it is a winery. Ill definitely visit again.
Prior to coming here for the Sweetest Weekend Ever event I didnt know this winery existed! I never really fancied wine but this place was so beautiful that Id love to come for a tour in the future just to see the rest of it. The inside of the building that I was in was gorgeous I cant wait for a chance to come back. I may wait for warmer weather because the paths and outside are just as lovely as the buildings, I bet its delightful in spring
Absolutely fantastic experience! The tour was so much more than I expected. Youll get a deep look into the amazing history of this place. Our guide was great and very responsive to questions. The tasting afterwards was wonderful. We left with six bottles and would absolutely go back again!
A Good place to visit. The wine tasting tour is informative and they serve you like 5 different kinds of wine. $15 per person is reasonable, it includes a tour and the wine tasting. One suggestion would be that the person giving the tour should talk a little louder so everybody could hear better.
The buildings are beautiful and old, the wine selection is huge for a single producer, they have more than youd expect, the wine tastings are fun and informative, and the discounts are very nice. Im already planning to go back (I broke a glass on the way home and thats excuse enough to grab nore port and mead)
Loved the wines and the story behind the old building and beautiful architecture. Fun experience and took home several souvenirs from the gift shop
Really fun. Great wines and ciders. Really enjoyed the tour. I wish that we could have tasted everything instead of only five items. That probably cost them some sales because if I had tried something else that I liked I would have bought it, but Im not going to buy something without trying it first. Isnt that the point of a tasting room?
Had a great time at the oldest continuous running winery in the US. A great tour of the cellars. Cute little gift shop to get fun wine related stuff. And the tasting room has plenty of delicious wine for every palate. A cute little cafe (couldnt visit due to a wedding- which speaks of how picturesque it is). Looking forward to our next visit there!
Really great wine for a NY state winery! They even have a partnership with a Chilean vineyard who sends wine up from Chile which is really tasty. Ive been here for a wedding as well that was very nice. Ive not had a bad experience here yet. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommended for a nice afternoon. Grounds are beautiful.
Always a good experience! Want a tour of the cellars?....must do so online ahead of time. Worth it.
Oldest winery in the US. I would say if on vacation - weekdays are best - not busy. Great staff even the cashier. Knowledgeable tour guide. Mexican restaurant nearby (5 minutes - easy to find) is very good if the restaurant is closed before you take tour.
For our second year dating, we visited Brotherhood winery. The grounds are well kept, the winery is much bigger than we realized or had seen before and the wide selection of wines along with knowledgeable employees made for a great day.There is a restaurant, gift shop, wine store, former chapel, reception hall and public restrooms onsite, as well as the original mansion where the first owners lived. Some of the buildings date back to when the winery opened in 1839.We went on the tour which is partially outdoors and part underground. Our friendly guide Glenn (it was his birthday) is an expert on the winery and wine history. There is a small vineyard area, however all grapes are imported from other areas, mostly from the Finger Lakes region.After the tour we went to the wine tasting, which Glenn hosted. It had a selection of 15 types of wines including dry, red, white, sweet, imported and sangria. Each person can choose from 5 wines (go with a friend and be able to sample their glass as well! 🙂As we ended the day we enlisted Glenns assistance on picking some wine. He was more than happy to answer our questions and made some great recommendations.Thank You Glenn! We had a great experience!
The wines are good but the experience was not great. We called the winery tasting area several hours earlier to confirm tasting hours. We arrived in time and we were told the tasting ended a half hour before. Another couple we saw at Happy Hour was told the same information as us. Already disappointed, we brought it to the attention of of an older woman with long hair working at the register. She not only showed no professional understanding but she also argued with us. She said what we heard was incorrect. She also stated, when the tour guides leave at 5, how could there be tastings? All we wanted was to prevent someone else from being as disappointed as we were.We had a tasting in the past here and identified several wines that we liked and purchased but this time we traveled over 2 hours for a thumbs down experience.
This place is over hyped and extremely crowded. While it is the oldest winery in the US, they are milking that name with all the wrong reason. Let’s start with the good, the tour was cool. The cellar is quite old and it’s very neat to see the history of the winery. However, much of the land has been sold off so, they have no vineyards and import the grapes from somewhere in Long Island and California. Second, the tour was over 50 people, the attendants weren’t helpful when I came back to the shop and said our tour guide needed help serving wine given the amount of people. It took us 2 hours to finish the tasting ...unbelievable. Lastly, the wines we tried were not good. Out of the 18 wines (6 rounds choose from 3 different wines since it was a group of 6 we were able to try all of them) I bought 2 bottles (Blanc du Blanc and Rose- decent wine for a party but nothing I’d repeat). As a native Californian this place has much to learn from the new world and old world of wine makers. Lack of personalized experience and attention. Will never come back.
Went to Brotherhood Winery as a family outing. 3 generations. We took the tour and had an amazing time. Wine tasting was exceptional.I would highly recommend the Port and the Honey Wine. Going back for Thanksgiving to see family and day two is back to Brotherhood.Can’t wait. I’m out of Port.
Did not have the time to do the tour but the village is adorable and the wine tasting was informing, entertaining, and... well... tasty! Side note: We walked in saying were not sweet wine people and walked out an hour and a half with six bottles five of which were sweet wines.
I have gone here a few times on a tour and wine tasting..its a lovely time. The historic buildings and architecture are interesting and beautiful. The tour guide was informative, friendly and catered to your individual groups intersts. the wine tasting was also very professionally done, informative and not to mention delicious! I love the Brotherhood Resieling in the blue bottle as well as their holiday spiced wines. Everything is fairly priced and theres even a cafe there for lunch or dinner. What a great local outing to take! I also know they host weddings and larger events, which I have seen set up and in passing and they always look enchanting.
Would love to give them a few more stars. First time I went for a tasting, had such an amazing experience and tried so many different wines. We ended up buying a whole bunch of bottles.I went again today for a tasting, and they said no theyre not doing them at this point. So instead of buying a whole bunch of bottles, I only bought a few that I could remember what I liked. I understand that closing is at 5 and I got there 435, but there was still another tasting going on, and there were still people buying wine. I would have liked a website that specifically said tasting until 430pm or 4 pm, if you need to stop earlier (it clearly states specific times for tours) . Maybe next time I go, Ill have a better experience. Maybe brotherhood winery will make it specific that tastings end at a certain time, so that i dont leave one winery to make it there to get turned away. Very disappointing since this winery is not near any other wineries and is out of the way. Please change.. and my stars will change as well.
Very beautiful place, and restaurant was excellent BUT I checked the site everyday before my trip here (yesterday 10/11/20) looking to see if the status on reservations changed. On the site it says“ We are in the process of launching a new website October 21, 2020. Until that date, we will NOT be taking reservations by phone or email.Our tasting room remains open to the public and tastings will continue on a first come first serve basis.Please check this website again for a new reservation system.”When I arrived yesterday I got online to go for the tastings, when a worker informed me “tastings are reservations only and we are booked till 3:45pm”. I didn’t make a large deal of this, walked away and again checked the site to make sure... nope on the site it states no reservations till Oct.21. I was extremely disappointed and upset, I traveled an hour and a half to get here for the wine tastings yet I was told I could not do this without a reservation even though the site states otherwise. After that I truly did not even want to entertain their restaurant but again we traveled a hour and a half to get there and we’re starving and ready to enjoy the winery...While I enjoyed the restaurant, I will not be back because of this. Beware of their site as it is clearly false, maybe try a different winery in the area if you actually want a tasting!
Not worth going out of your way for. The drive there and the country side is lovely but the land around the winery is now a shopping mall. No great views as you taste your average to poor wines. The server was knowledgeable and enertaining and the room was fine. You get to keep your souvenir glass after paying 7 for your tasting of 6 wines. Nothing bad just nothing great and there are many better wines available for better prices.
Very good variety of wines for the tasting. There was a power outage in the area so we werent able to do the tour but they treated us very well despite that. Recommended.
Tasting is quite different than pre-covid, but still a cool place to visit
Wonderful visit. We were able to see how the they make the wine now and went into the chamber where they store and age the wine. The wine tour and tasting were very reasonably priced, the staff is fantastic and the wine is always good.
I went to the winery along with about 10 friends to do grape stomping and a tour / tasting. We were disappointed. We were expecting to all be able to participate in the stomping, instead, you had to sign up, and only 3 people at a time could do it, It was a competition which is fine, but it was not advertised that way. The slots filled quickly, so only 3 of the people in our party got the chance to participate. The tour was nice, but, we had people that brought very young children with them, and the kids were a bit out of control, crying, running around in the vault, making it very difficult the hear the guide speak. I asked the tour guide to kindly ask the parents to keep the kids under control, but that did not happen. The tasting part of the tour was ok, but they were not very organized, they shuffled us from room to room. We were also not allowed to bring the wine into the resaturant, and could bring the food outside. Had we known this ahead of time, we would have brought our own food to snack on. The experience overall was good because I was with good friends, but the winery experience was not what was expected. They should really have grape stomping set up so everyone can participate, and they should not allow anyone under age to be on premises - sorry it made for an uncomfortable experience.
Ive been a customer for years, but that ended today. I drove up to the Winery to see if I the would donate something to my sons Schools Auction and they said No. They didnt even offer a discount. I mentioned I drink their wine all the time, and they could care less. I headed over to Warwick Valley after and they said they would be happy to help out in some way. I grabbed a great pizza there and a few bottles Pinot Noir for the road. Go here instead.
After a hike, we stop here with our Pups. The staff was not only accommodating, they went out of their way to make sure our group stay together with our pups.The food was delicious. The service outstanding!
Really enjoyed my experienced here. Jeane, one of the tour guides was great. Tasting and a touch for 10 bucks. I dont think you can beat that. They even give you a wine glass as a suvenier. Everybody was very friendly. The with each is very well priced. The town is cozy. Then there is the restaurant. No many options, simple but good. I really liked my food. Ill be coming back
Had a great time. Did wine tasting and they were very nice. Greater discounts the more you buy. Been several times and always a good experience. They are working on getting a restaurant/cafe back, right now no food to eat.
Such a cute elegant place. Very affordable to do the tasting and even comes with a cute wine glass! Definitely helped me find out what wines I like and which ones I don’t.
Brotherhood Winery is Americas oldest winery. They host a variety of events throughout the year, the grounds are very rustic looking and pretty, lovely venue for a wedding, corporate events, etc. The wine tasting was $10 for 5 varieties and was pretty good, you get a small keepsake glass with your fee.
The Brotherhood Winery is such an awesome place for a wedding. i photographed a wedding there, and the grounds allow for great photos, not to mention allowing us to take photos in the winery. It has so much character.
A friend recommended the winery a few years ago and we went and took the tour. Got me interested in wines and we always try to stop by when were in the area so I can pick up some bottles of the Riesling and Meade.
We used the winery to host our daughters wedding and it was just incredible. The grounds where we had the ceremony were gorgeous. The cocktail hour and reception took place at the newly renovated building where the ambiance was terrific, The wine was exceptional and the staff couldnt have been better. We would highly recommend having an event at the Winery!
We did a tour and it was great! Got to see the cellars and walk around the grounds a little bit. Finished with a tasting. The wine was delicious and they had a large selection!
Had a great Experience at a tasting. Everyone Was very helpful and attentive. Been there years ago and it’s still the same. Did not feel rushed at the tasting.
Nice Venue. enjoyed tour and the fact that you can bring your own food. Didnt get 5 stars for me for a few reasons. #1 you can only do a tasting once of 5 different wines. With the amount of wines sold there as a consumer I may want to try a different bottle than what is pre-selected as part of the tour. #2 cafe does not sell you food unless you eat at their establishment. Which really means bring your own food OR eat at our cafe. We wanted to order food at the cafe and eat at the picnic tables near the live entertainment
We went for the tasting and tour and loved it! The tour was pretty neat since they take you underground to the cellars. The tasting was pretty cheap for 5 full glasses of wine that you get to choose from a list. They even provide crackers. We ended up buying desert wines, carpe diem. Delicious!!
My husband and I stayed at a B&B two miles from Brotherwood Winery. To kill time before check-in, we decided to stop by and check it out. Were so glad we did! Joanne gave us our tasting, and she was very friendly. During our tasting, she offered us two samples that werent on the wine tasting list. Im not a fan of Chardonnay, but we tried the Sparking Chardonnay, and WOW! Clean and refreshing! VERY reasonably priced, I believe the most expensive bottle in the winery was $15. We purchased six bottles, and well return the next time were in the area.
The wine tasting and tour was excellent. The Vinum Cafe wasnt so great. The food on the menu wasnt all that great, and the wait staff was horrible. Our group wanted to eat before the tour, we got there an hour and half early, and it took the waitress 20 minutes to put our order in, we were only able to eat bread with butter and one drink each.They dont serve cheese with any of their burgers. And you can taste the tap water in all the drinks.
Positives: big selection of wine. Very popular winery. Scenery is nice. You must drive by and see the beautiful mountain range and train trestle.Negatives: felt a bit rushed. Everyone has to drink at the same time before getting the next wine, so if you drink slower, everyone is waiting for you. However, we came close to the end of the day and the staff probably was exhausted . The day we also happened to visit the winery Brotherhood winery had a Mac and cheese festival. Many folks from New York City visited. And just for the record I love NYC. New Yorkers are wonderful. I encountered mta express buses from NYC. Which led to having no restrooms except porta potties with no bathroom tissue. The pours for the wine were unequal. I attribute some of this due to the festival. In addition we could not participate in the tour. I cannot give an accurate assessment due to the festival. I would suggest to come back without other events. The area is stunning.
Great event venue, food is great and staff are top notch.
Great tasting. The wines were nice and the prices were good. Will need to return for the tour, probably in the summer so we can sit outside with some wine after.
Did wine tasting with my wife. Staff member Jim was very welcoming and very knowledgeable. Made the wine tasting very fun. I definitely would recommend anyone to go to this spectacular winery.
This is one of the best wineries in the Hudson Valley. With many different events, wonderful wines, interesting history, and top notch tours and tastings, Brotherhood is fantastic place to visit and enjoy for a day.
Went to Brewtoberfest on 10/20/19. It was extremely underwhelming. Paid $15 to taste five beers that were all in a single line, not even represented by their own breweries. They just had coolers full of cans. Not worth the time or the $15.
Weddings centered establishment. There are no vineyards on premises, all grapes brought in from others growers of NY State and LI. Wine made on premises. Does not have a true feel of a winery. Nice place to visit, bring your picnic lunch and enjoy with a glass of their wine. Music a plus.
Great winery experience. Very interesting tour and tasting. Excellent restaurant, and lots of New York and beyond wines to buy. Worth a trip. Get there early.
This review is not about Brotherhood in general, but specifically about the Hudson Valley Wine and Seafood Festival they hosted. Purchased five VIP tickets at $79 each for family and friends. What a RIP OFF!!!!! The website said you would receive 10 food vouchers each to enjoy seafood prepared by the top chefs in the area. Once we arrived, we were given a punch card that allowed only one portion of each of the items available. My wife has gluten issues meaning all the breaded fried items were eliminated for her. Advertised generous portions were anything but. One crab cake not much bigger than a silver dollar, fish and chip consisting of a single small sliver of fish with soggy potato chips. If this was food prepared by top chefs, the food scene in the area is in serious trouble. The ultime insult was when we went to the shrimp cocktail station. The server asked if we were VIP ticket holders. When we replied yes, we as were given three shrimp instead of the five that were available to the general attendees. Overall, one of the worst experiences ever. Shame on Brotherhood for hosting such a poor event. DO WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS EVENT!!!
Very nice place. Clean and friendly. Nice selection of wines with very courteous staff to answer questions.
Brotherhood winery has a very interesting history, but the wines failed to make much of an impression and the experience on the weekend was stressful. The proximity to the city means droves of people venture out on the weekends and huge, obnoxious groups will impact your experience. Forget a tour in the middle of the day as they often are way too large to have a good experience or youll have to wait hours for the next tour. We ended up getting jammed in at a tasting table with a large group and had to wait for 15 minutes to start tasting while they got situated. Im not sure why we couldnt get started earlier without them. The wine also failed to make much of an impression. Out of the 5 wines we tasted, I didnt really love any of them and didnt like 2 or 3. The patio is great for sitting out with friends during the warm months and sharing a sangria. Try to visit off hours.
FANTASTIC place to visit. Wonderful history...make sure you fit in the tour along with the tastings....and if you can arrange it, ask for Pat Mohr for your tour guide. She made the tour OUTSTANDING, blending the details of the winery with her special local history and knowledge as a long-term employee.
$10 for a tour and tasting! The tour was an hour and a half and very informative and the guide was great! The tasting was about half hour and they know their wines well. Its a great value and their wines are very moderately priced.
Wow so I think the first winery ever has forgotten how to treat their customers and In this Industry the customers come first...we were there yesterday Friday and stood in tasting area where no one greeted us and when we finally walked out to the purchase counter was told next tour wasnt for 35 minutes but we could just do a tasting . asked could qe do tasting then tour was told no and when I told them I worked in the industry and if they offered any kind of discount she said I needed an ID ...What Id My drivers license doesnt state who I work for I just shook my head said forget it... then we had to wait till they for a group together to even get the tasting started...Ive worked in the winery business for 15 years and Never have I seen such rudeness. Upstate Ny wineries did not impress me with their hospitality...Pa and Jersey do it better!!! Will not be returning!!!!
Tons of fun! Knowledgeable people, historic, great wines and variety. Great winery experience. Top notch. Highly recommend!
Great place to come and relax get your tasting, buy a few bottles. You can also walk the grounds and marvel over the history of this place... so come on by grab and seat and sip..
Tour was okay but was a little disappointed they didnt talk at all about the wine making process from the time the trucks pull in with the grapes to bottling. Our guide, Franklin was a very nice man but if I had to say something less than positive it would be get to the important points and lets move on. Was a little too talkative about things that werent all that germane. Almost seemed like he was stalling to make what should have been a 30-45 minute tour into a full hour.
We attended a wedding here and it was superb - the venue has lots of character and charm - the food was fantastic and we had a great time. I would love to come back here for a wine tour or other event.
Loved every moment. Excellent menu and wine pairings to complement the food. The best flight of wine for tastings. Huge selection.
Website failed to list accurate holiday hours. Stopped in cafe that was open on grounds and asked if we could purchase a bottle of wine and hostess said they dont sell bottles, as well as practically chased us out and said we could not use the establishments restroom, even though we had driven several hours out of the way to get there.
We had a fantastic time here. Extremely helpful, friendly, staff going above and beyond to make our visit memorable. Loved the Riesling and the Mead. Will definitely be back.
Prices very high$25 for a meatball. Idc if it’s one pound or 2 pounds that’s crazy$12 for a shrimp app ok but not for 3 little shrimp$15 for a simple glass of wine long pourCom-onStaff was niceNo music
This is my first wine tasting and it was a great experience. it was very informative and I learned a bunch of things i never knew about wine...plus we got cute glasses to take home.
Very touristic. Small cup samples. Nit very friendly staff, they were too busy chatting with eaxh other.
Great place great wines. Friendly staffAlso the restaurant is great food. Decent prices. Very good. Nice staff.
Nice range of wines and beautiful site! The staff were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.
Had fun but dont like the fact that they advertised the annual tasting festival originally as 1-6pm and then when you show up (after you already prepaid for tickets) its only 1-5pm. Disappointing alteration they made to accommodate a later scheduled wedding apparently. Upsetting move.
First off, dont expect vistas or rolling vineyards. This isnt Napa That being said, the tour guides, tasting, cellars, prices, and everything else were amazing The place has tons of history and everything is really well done. Cant recommend this place enough for a day trip
Great service, great prices, really cool buildings! Thank you!!
Halloween ball at the winery is a lot of fun. Having the ball in the cellar, with a live DJ & MC makes the evening complete. Food & Wine very good.
Great winery. Has a good amount of things to do. The grounds are nice. The prices for bottles of wine were good.
The place was pretty but the wine was TERRIBLE. Don’t waste your time here.
Lots of Fun. Great Wine..
Great location for wine tasting and discovering Americas first winery. There is plenty of parking and the staff are great and funny.
Nice vibe to chill and enjoy a glass of wine. The wine is drinkable.
Gift shop was locked up, with an Open sign in the door. With 2 kids and a senior, we skipped the tour, but tasting was varied and informative.
If you got hot food first, it will be cold by the time you make it back to your seat, such as the wide distribution. It is so good to be here and for choosing this hotel! Such a highly recommended!
I recently tried the cabernet sauvignon thought it was very good.
Beautiful tour! Beautiful winery! I really got an education on the different wines and what to expect from the flavor.
Beautiful place. Much better pre pandemic with guided tastings. Still my favorite resiling ever.
Delightful afternoon. Would give it a rating of 10. Very good wine selections. Amazing history. Highly recommended.
American oldest winery, has a nice tour with a tasting after. Best wine is the rose.
Some wines are (Chilian) are very good. Staff is very attentive and knowledgeable. New restaurant should be open in April.
Theres a reason why this is the oldest winery in the nation. The wine and atmosphere are fantastic.Highly recommended!
Great place but way too crowded on a Fall Saturday. Our “private tasting” was with another 50 strangers! Took way too long
Whats the point of having guest wifi if your staff doesnt know the password and the female curmudgeon that answered the phone has awful customer service skills and a disdainful tone of voice. Inform your people and accommodate your patrons on every level.
The winery was so pretty and everyone was so helpful and wonderful. It was a great experience!
This was an experience everyone should try, the wine is delicious. the only thing I hate.....brotherhood only ship their wine to like 8 states and illinois is not one of them
We are local. Great food. Great service. Jazz band provided nice ambiance. Highly recommend. They take great interest in providing a nice dining experience.
Food was disappointing and service was worse. I ordered a bottle of their house Cabernet Sauvignon only to find it was bottled and imported from Chile.
The very best winery out there. I have visited hundreds, and this is my personal favorite.
Exquisite tasting, beautiful grounds, landscaping... And delicious wine of course!!!
Love their wines. Made the drive for the Riesling since we are having lamb tonight.
It was great. The seafood and wine festival was very enjoyable.
Amazing food, great staff, great setting, nice prices. I highly recommend 1839
Basically a small village, its definitely a tourist spot with decent wine tasting. The atmosphere definitely drives their popularity.
Nice cool tour of the under ground barrel storage. Good selection of wines at reasonable prices.
A little pricey, but a very nice experience. The wine was reasonably priced, but the restaurant was on the high side
Love this place every time I go they always welcome me with a smile and the view is magnificent........ Cant have enough of the wine. Love it!!!!!!👌🖒👏
Small but cute. Great wine selection, and also officers a great restaurant.
Great Place!! Friendly People!! Thank you..
The most professionally run winery on the trail. Great staff, good experience, will visit again.
Woman working at the tasting bar was extremely rude. Walked out. FYI no grapes are grown at this winery. Not what it used to be.
Visited Oct 2017, wine was great, but Winery seemed corporate in nature.
Very cute and large venue with live music on weekends :)
Excellent wine and ambiance. Enjoyed the cellar tour as well.
I own the nearby Bed and Breakfast - The Caldwell House Bed and Breakfast - and many of our guests visit Brotherhood and enjoy it immensely.
Such a lovely experience with wine tasting. Highly recommended.
The best delivery service in the world. Also the greatest wines. God bless,Diana Bell 12/12th.
Nice atmosphere. Good wine and friendly staff.
Everyone there is very knowledgeable about all the wines and ciders. And the tastings are very informative.
Tour guide was excellent. Tasting were good. Nice trip, worth the stop.
I delivered 27 pallets, and was out in 1 hour. They open @ 8:00 and only 1 dock.
Wonderful tour, very informative, the tasting was great catered to each of us
Americas oldest winery. Outdoor area to enjoy their wine and your food.
On a date years ago (shout out to Gina Kelly, Cornell U 1978) we toured and it was amazing!! One of the best times ever!
Nice varietals and Chilean wines. Most bottles are about $10.
Oldest winery in America. Great place for a wedding , great wines. Great service.
Nice place, great wines. Americas oldest winery! Who knew!?
This is a wonderful plave.. the wine is exceptional.. knowledge of wine and wine history is on point.. will be coming back for years to come..
I love this place . Just came for a tasting and to buy some wine to find it closed. Please update the hours on the website.
Got married here on June 6 2014,had a great time, beautiful weather and an awesome venue!
Do the tour and the tasting in one shot. The grounds arent the most beautiful but theres a lot of interesting history behind it.
Beautiful setting, wines are very good.
Great selections of wines and very friendly staff!
My favorite winery. Amazing deals and great wine.
Amazing, great service. Answered all my questions. Amazing and fantastic selection
Total reviews rating 4.4
199 Reviews for Brotherhood, Americas Oldest Winery 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-10Brotherhood has been on my list for 3 years and I finally made it. I was a bit disappointed by the tasting. Im used to standing at the tasting bar with a glass and a good tasting pour, but the pours came in small plastic cups. However, the wines I tried were good, the service was amazing and the wines were very reasonably priced which made up for the tasting the winery and surrounding buildings are very pretty and I was able to get a few Christmas presents at the gift shop. I enjoyed my visit.
Review №2
2022-06-25Had a great time at the Winery. Our tour guide, Glen, was extremely knowledgeable. The tastings were perfect as we got to sample different types of wine. The staff was very helpful in assisting us with our choice purchases. Keep in mind that the tour is not handicap friendly as the tour is mostly underground in the original cellars and there are plenty of stairs. There are bannisters to assist. Everything else is accessible.
Review №3
2021-09-23If you are looking for a good winery location to escape from the daily stresses of life, I recommend this location. I went with my sister and 2 other girlfriends, we had such a blast. Having booked a private tour with a private wine tasting, we were able to be safe from Covid 19 as it was just a tour for us four. We went to the catacombs and learned so much history, if youre a history buff like us I would recommend. The tour guide was informative and really took her time to explain the history and answer questions. I wish I could remember her name but they all know the history. After a private tour of the grounds we then were taken into a converted chapel where we had the choice of 5 different wines out of a list of over 10 wines. They were so delicious and even better you could choose which wines depending on your personal taste. Im more into sweet wines and the choices did not disappoint. I even bought 5 of their wines and enjoyed them at home with my family. The honey mulled wine was by far my favorite, as was the white sangria. Perfect way to end a day with a nice glass.
Review №4
2022-04-26Amazing large area in Washingtonville,NYFind your way to the restaurant, wine tasting or brewery discoveries, abundant parking and an enthusistic, friendly crew serving patrons. Great venue for bridal showers! Exhilirating and worth a trip from NYC
Review №5
2021-09-22Came on a Tuesday close to closing. We got one tasting, comes with a tasting glass and oyster crackers. Sat outside and enjoyed the gewurztraminer so much we purchased a bottle to enjoy on the grounds. It was a great experience. The winery is gorgeous. The staff was kind. I would most definitely return.
Review №6
2021-09-29It was amazing. Such a beautiful property with so much history. Our tour guide Colleen was amazing. The wine was also great too. I would definitely return.
Review №7
2021-07-28Yah definitely pretty bad wine here.We sign up for 5 wine tasting and I would say it’s below appetizing for all five. Save yourself some money and just buy their blue bottle riesling. That’s about the only one our friends and I can get down. Rest should be consider cooking wine.Being the oldest winery can just be a marketing phrase and this probably my last time coming here. It’s a good place to host a wedding with plenty of parking and enough space on the location but there are so many other place on the Hudson valley.Service is great and price is good I guess. I wouldn’t drink anything else here if I was paid to drink it to be honest. The “premium”dry resiling tastes like cardboard on your tongue.Overall, spend that $15 on the blue bottle riesling and move on.
Review №8
2022-04-24Nice grounds but wine is not good. The tasting was brought to us in small plastic cups which i didnt really understand. Two of us each tried 5 different wines - none were good and a few were just sour as if it were wine that had gone bad. The bottles are way over priced for such poor quality wine - sorry really wanted to like it. Not far from Brotherhood is the Benmaryl winery - much smaller but the wines are far better and very scenic with great view of the Hudson.
Review №9
2022-05-16Reservation for a tour and wine tasting. Leaving with 12 bottles of wine. Love the selection and varieties from NY and around the world like Chile. Cant wait to try the Ethiopian honey wine and look forward to the next tour and tasting.
Review №10
2022-05-06Been coming here for years, but this place has taken a turn for the worse. What used to be $5 charming wine tastings are now $15 and comes with a dose of nasty attitude. One of us in his mid 50s and gray hair was denied entry because he didnt have ID. Tried pleading with the manager to no avail. Went to the restaurant across the road instead and had some wine. Tried the Riesling which was ok but a tad sweeter than usual and the Chardonnay which I never had before. It was very acidic and undrinkable.