I have been told that the wine cellar at the Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, NY is the oldest, continuously operated , private wine cellar in America,( the Brotherhood Winery cellars in Millbrook,NY being older , but theirs is a commercial wine cellar). Does anyone know if Ten Broeck's wine cellar is the oldest? It was established somewhere's around the 1860's by the Olcott family .
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Identifying the earliest private wine cellar in America is a fascinating project. The key question is whether any of the very first cellars have been in "continuous use." We know that wine was a common beverage in Colonial times, particularly Madeira, Port and Claret (red Bordeaux). The oldest cellar seems to have been at Jamestown in Virginia and dates from the late 1600s. Thomas Jefferson was a renowned connoisseur in his day who studied the wine regions of Europe when he was Ambassador to France. He wrote notes and observations and ordered wines for his own consumption. Jefferson kept good records of the wines from around the world served at Monticello, his home in Virginia, which was constructed in the 1770s (thus predating Ten Broeck, built in 1797-98). The Monticello cellar was even equipped with two dumbwaiters to convey bottles to the dining room above. I gather that Ten Broeck, like Monticello, is a historic site. Their website does not mention a wine cellar, so that leaves me curious about the cellar and any present function. If you have the inclination, please post another question with any specifics you might have so we can try to get to the bottom of this interesting historical challenge.
