Bully Hill Vineyards facts for kids
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| Industry | Winery |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1958 |
| Headquarters | Hammondsport, New York |
| Products | Wine and merchandise |
Bully Hill Vineyards is a famous place in Hammondsport, New York, where they grow grapes and make wine. It's located in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. This area is known for its many wineries.
Contents
The Story of Bully Hill Vineyards
How Bully Hill Started
In 1920, the Taylor Wine Company moved its operations. The original land, where Bully Hill is now, was sold. Later, in 1958, Greyton H. Taylor and Walter S. Taylor bought the land back. They started Bully Hill Farms.
They began growing new types of grapes called French-American hybrid grapes. These were new for New York. Over 12 years, they built a winery. In 1970, Bully Hill Inc. officially began. Walter Taylor was the third generation in his family to make wine. His family had been doing it since 1878.
Bully Hill was one of the first small wineries in the Keuka Lake area after a time called Prohibition. During Prohibition (from 1920 to 1933), it was illegal to make or sell alcohol in the United States. Wineries like Taylor Wine Company sold grape juice instead. They even put labels on barrels that hinted at how the juice might turn into wine if not stored carefully!
The Name Battle
In 1970, Walter Taylor left the Taylor Wine Company. He and Greyton Taylor then fully focused on Bully Hill. When Greyton passed away in 1971, Walter became the main owner. Walter opened the first wine museum in America. He also spoke out against other New York wineries for using grapes from other states. This made some other winemakers upset.
In 1977, after the Taylor Wine Company joined with The Coca-Cola Company, they sued Walter Taylor. They wanted him to stop using his last name, "Taylor," for his wine. A judge agreed with them. The judge said Bully Hill could not use the name "Taylor" on its labels or in ads.
Walter Taylor had to cover up his name on all Bully Hill products. But this lawsuit actually made Bully Hill more famous! Sales went up a lot, and more people visited the winery. Walter went on TV and talked about the case, which helped spread the word.
Walter tried to appeal the decision. The court said he could use his signature, but only with a small note saying he was not connected to the Taylor Wine Company. However, the Taylor Wine Company felt he was still breaking the rules. So, in 1979, the judge made the ban on his name permanent. The judge even gave strict rules about how small his signature had to be if he used it.
On November 8, 1979, Walter Taylor drove to the Taylor Wine Company. He returned all the labels and ads that had his name on them. He even had a parade and a party at Bully Hill to celebrate.
Walter was upset, but he decided to laugh about it. He famously said, "They took my name and heritage, but they didn't get my goat." He even got a real goat! Until he passed away, Walter would often joke, "Just call me Walter S. Blank." Many of his own drawings are still used on Bully Hill wine labels today.
Recent Happenings
In 1982, Bully Hill tried to trademark a wine name called 'Space Shuttle Rose'. NASA (the space agency) tried to stop them, but Bully Hill won the case in 1987.
What You Can Find at Bully Hill
Bully Hill Vineyards started small. Now, they offer over 40 different types of wine. They produce more than 200,000 cases of wine every year. This makes them the second largest wine producer in New York.
At Bully Hill, you can visit their restaurant and wine shop. There are also two gift shops. You can explore the New York State Wine Museum of Greyton H. Taylor. There's also the Walter S. Taylor Art Gallery. Visitors can take tours and try wine tastings throughout the year, depending on the weather. Bully Hill wine is sold in about 30 states across the country.
Sports Sponsorships
Bully Hill Vineyards supports many sports teams. As of 2011, they sponsored five professional teams and one minor league team.
Bully Hill is the official wine for:
- The Buffalo Bills (football team)
- The Buffalo Sabres (hockey team)
- The Boston Bruins (hockey team)
- The Elmira Jackals (a former hockey team)
- The Nashville Predators (hockey team)
- The Nashville Sounds (baseball team)
Bully Hill also has a long history in NASCAR racing. They have sponsored race cars and even races themselves at Watkins Glen International. This racetrack is very close to Bully Hill. They have been involved in racing since 1997.
