Pleasant Valley Wine Company facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pleasant Valley Wine Company
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Pleasant Valley Wine Company, April 2011
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | SR 88, Rheims, New York |
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| Area | 5.2 acres (2.1 ha) |
| Built | 1860 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002773 |
| Added to NRHP | November 18, 1980 |
Pleasant Valley Wine Company, also known as Great Western Winery, is a very old and important place where wine is made. It is located in a small area called Rheims, in New York State. This place has nine old buildings made of stone. Five of these buildings were built in the 1860s and have a special old Italian style. Because it is so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's a protected historical site. The winery also grows a lot of special grapes like Chardonnay and Riesling.
Contents
History of the Winery
How Pleasant Valley Started
The Pleasant Valley Wine Company was started on March 15, 1860. Charles Champlin and 12 other people invested money to create it. This winery became the very first "bonded winery" in the United States. Being "bonded" means it followed government rules for making and selling wine. It was even given the number "Bonded Winery #1."
Early Wine Production
At first, the winery made wines from grapes like Isabella and Catawba. In 1865, they started making sparkling wine. This is a bubbly wine, like champagne. Because they made such good sparkling wine, Pleasant Valley earned a special nickname. People called it "the Reims of America." Reims is a famous city in France known for its champagne. The local post office even used "Reims, NY" as its postmark until 1945.
Surviving Tough Times
The winery faced a big challenge during a time called Prohibition. This was from 1920 to 1933. During Prohibition, it was against the law to make or sell alcohol in the United States. Many wineries had to close down. However, Pleasant Valley Wine Company found a way to survive. They made wines for special purposes. These included sacramental wines, used in religious ceremonies, and medicinal wines, used for health reasons.
Changes in Ownership
After Prohibition ended, the winery was sold several times. In 1961, it was bought by the Taylor Wine Company. Later, in 1977, it became part of a sale to the Coca-Cola company. Coca-Cola then sold the winery to Joseph E. Seagram & Sons in 1983. In 1987, Vintners International bought it. Finally, in 1995, the Doyle family purchased the winery. They have owned it ever since.
Images for kids
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Company stationery from 1903
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A check from the winery dated June 20, 1875
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Another view of the winery in April 2011
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Brickstone Cellars, a second label of Pleasant Valley
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Views inside the winery from 1899
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An advertisement for Great Western Champagne from 1898
