In THE STORY OF BROTHERHOOD, AMERICA’S OLDEST WINERY by Robert Bedford, the history begins in 1839, when Jean Jaques, a farmer and cobbler by trade, founded what would become Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, New York. Today, this Hudson Valley institution continues its mission of producing premium wines that can be found all over the world, while winery visitors tour the same cellars hand-dug by Jaques himself.

The book hallmarks nearly two centuries of the winery’s history—through the industrial era, world wars, Prohibition, America’s changing tastes in wine, economic recessions, and a devastating fire—and celebrates the owners and stakeholders who contributed to its longevity through loyalty, perseverance, and sheer innovation.

A remarkable collection of rare images illustrate the text, stories and anecdotes—as well as the facts—with more than 350 photographs, wine labels, documents, memorabilia, and advertisements, culled from private and public collections, and carefully restored by the author. Most of the images and documents have never been published before, or seen outside of Brotherhood Winery. A timeline places the winery’s milestones over 175 years in the context of American history.

“Through the photos, documents, and writings in this book we can place Brotherhood not only in the context of American viticulture and the country’s ever-changing tastes in wines, but also in the broader landscape of American history. We can also look ahead, to what it means to preserve and restore this rich history, and what it will forecast for the next centuries to come.”

• Adam Strum, Editor and Publisher, Wine Enthusiast Magazine