Johnson Estate’s red brick farmhouse was built in 1822 by William Peacock, a land surveyor and employee of the Holland Land Company. He died owning a very large portfolio of parcels of land. While William Peacock lived in Mayville, the house in Westfield, optimally sited for excellent fruit production, was occupied by his brother and eventually William’s niece, Margaret Peacock. She lived in the farmhouse until she died in 1890. Here’s a lithograph of the house circa 1868. The house and farm were purchased by Frederick William Johnson in about 1910-11.
In the late 1800s, an English orphan named Frederick William Johnson immigrated to Western Canada from England as a teenager and then found his way to Cornell University to study entomology (deemed Class of 1901) and later worked for the Department of Agriculture. In 1910-11, Johnson purchased the house and farm in Westfield NY which he named Sunnyslope Farm and grew peaches, pears, apples, and cherries. He also grew Concord and Niagara grapes. Johnson worked as an entomologist with the Department of Agriculture in both Washington, D.C. and in North East, PA, where he met his wife, Nan Scouller. In 1920, he built an apple cold-storage facility using timber from an 1860’s dairy barn found on the farm. This building now houses our tasting room. According to family lore, Johnson started making wine in the basement of the farmhouse during Prohibition.
Second-generation family member, Frederick Spencer Johnson (1921-1998), grew up on the farm and served in World War II as a naval aviator, graduated from Cornell University in 1946, and then raised his family overseas while working for the Rockefellers’ agricultural endeavors in Latin America. He returned to the farm in 1960 after his father died, removed aging fruit orchards, and was the first farmer or “pioneer” in Western New York to plant wine grapes (Chancellor, Seyval Blanc, Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, and Marechal Foch) in the region. At the time, the Lake Erie Wine Country was dominated by Concord and Labruscan juice grapes. Frederick opened the winery in 1961, receiving New York Farm Winery License No. 2 in his father’s apple cold storage building. Johnson Estate is recognized as New Yorks State’s oldest Estate Winery. In the 1980’s, he also added an additional tank building which is still used today.
Upon the death of Fred Sr. in 1998, the third generation of Johnsons, Frederick Jr., Elizabeth and Anthony, all Cornell graduates, inherited the farm and began to oversee the winery operations, the planting of new Riesling vineyards, and the construction of a new finished goods warehouse. This era also marked a significant expansion of the Johnson Estate portfolio; since 1998, the winery has diversified its selection to include specialized fruit, sparkling, and ice wines, reflecting a modern evolution of the family’s viticultural tradition.
In 2011, Frederick Johnson Jr. purchased his siblings’ interests and became, with his wife Jennifer, owner of the farm and winery. They completed a renovation of the tasting room in 2011, just in time for the celebration of the operation’s 50th anniversary. Johnson Estate Winery was awarded a Century Farm designation from the New York State Agricultural Society in 2018. Today the Estate grows two additional vitus vinifera grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Today, the legacy of the Johnson Estate continues to thrive under the stewardship of the third generation. Frederick Jr. and Jennifer now reside full-time in the original 1822 red brick Estate Home. For them, living within these historic walls is more than just a nod to the past; it is a daily commitment to the legacy of the farm and a vital link to the century of family history that preceded them. As they look out over the vineyards from the same vantage point as William Peacock and Fred Sr., they ensure that the story of this Century Farm remains as vibrant and enduring as it was in 1822.
8419 West Main Rd. (Route 20)
Westfield, NY 14787
Map & Directions
March – October
10am-6pm Daily
November – February
10am-5pm Sunday-Thursday
10am-6pm Friday & Saturday
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter
