Jim Moore / November 7, 2026
Before the first wine tasting room appeared on the hills of the Finger Lakes region, a peaceful valley near Hammondsport NY played an important role in winemaking. In 1860, the Pleasant Valley Wine Company was established on and near the slopes of picturesque Keuka Lake. Soon after, the company received a special first-of-its-kind title from the federal government, becoming U.S. Bonded Winery No. 1. That title was much more than just a governmental license; it became the beginning of the federal winemaking regulation in the country.
Keuka Lake was an ideal location for viticulture, and the nearly perfect spot to become the home of the nation’s first bonded winery. The lake’s depths shielded the vines from the risk of sudden frost. The shale hills provided a great environment for their growth. In addition to the favorable climate and soil of the area, It was a good time for European wine professionals to travel to the U.S. and help convert local and hybrid grapes into a superb sparkling wine. And it all happened to the surprise of traditional winemakers in Europe as the new wines started winning in the international arena:
- Major Medals in Europe: The winery stunned judges by winning an honorable mention at the 1867 Paris Universal Exposition, followed by another top prize at the 1873 Vienna World Exposition.
- The “Great Western” Name: After these overseas victories, Massachusetts statesman and agriculturalist Marshall P. Wilder called it the “Great Champagne of the Western World,” creating one of America’s most famous historic wine brands.
- A New Name on the Map: The global acclaim was so great that the surrounding postal hamlet was officially renamed Rheims, New York, after the renowned champagne city in France.
Those successes transformed daily life around Keuka Lake. In no time at all, clearings for timber and pastures for sheep gave way to orderly rows of vineyards on the hillsides. The expanding winery provided employment for stone masons to create aging cellars out of local bluestone, coopers to make oak aging casks, and steamboat hands to transport grapes across the lake to the rail lines.
The winery’s strong foundation and federal status also carried the community through tough times and paved the way for future winemakers:
Surviving Prohibition: Because of its bonded status, Pleasant Valley was one of the few wineries allowed to stay open during Prohibition by making sacramental and medicinal wines, saving local vineyards from ruin.
Welcoming Global Talent: The company’s tradition of hiring skilled European experts later helped bring Dr. Konstantin Frank to Hammondsport in the 1950s, proving fine European grape vines could thrive in cold New York winters.
Living Historic Landmark: The original stone winery complex still stands today as an active cellar on the National Register of Historic Places, welcoming visitors from all over the world.
Even today the tradition of Bonded Winery No. 1 continues in every bottle served at the lake. The majestic stone cellars in Hammondsport will serve as a reminder that the winemaking tradition of Keuka Lake was not a Statecoincidence; it was created by pioneering visionaries who showed that the Finger Lakes area of New York could produce world-class wine.
Interested in learning more about Keuka Lake’s wine making history and its impact? Check these sources:
- A History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition by Thomas Pinney
- The Wines of America by Leon D. Adams
- The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum Archives (Hammondsport, NY)
