A historic Finger Lakes winery that once served as the backbone of New York’s wine industry is getting a new lease on life. Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday that Vine Enterprises, LLC will acquire the Pleasant Valley Winery in Hammondsport and invest at least $47 million to restore operations at the Steuben County facility, which ceased operations last year after more than 160 years of continuous production. The company plans to begin work this fall on redeveloping the site, bringing processing and beverage manufacturing back to what was once the second-largest winery facility in New York.
The project goes beyond simply reopening the doors. Vine Enterprises plans to hire 69 new employees, revive several legacy wine brands, and rehabilitate the winery’s historic Champagne Cellars. Empire State Development is backing the effort with up to $12 million in capital and working capital grants, while the state has also pledged $100,000 to the New York State Wine & Grape Foundation to promote New York wines more broadly. V Enterprises CEO Paul Hillen said the investment will help drive long-term growth for the industry while supporting grape growers and the regional economy.
Pleasant Valley Winery’s history reads like a chronicle of American wine itself. Founded in 1860, it holds the distinction of being Federally Bonded Winery No. 1, making it the first bonded winery in the United States. It won a gold medal for its champagne at the 1873 Vienna World’s Fair, produced sacramental wine during Prohibition, and remains one of a small number of wineries outside France permitted to label its sparkling wines as champagne. At its peak, more than 100 wineries and grape growers relied on the facility for grape pressing, bottling, packaging, and storage.
Local officials welcomed the announcement as both an economic boost and a preservation of an important regional landmark. The investment arrives as the Finger Lakes region continues to gain national attention, having recently been named Wine Enthusiast’s 2025 American Wine Region of the Year. New York ranks as the nation’s second-largest wine producer, with an industry that generates nearly $16.8 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 83,000 jobs across over 400 wineries statewide.