Frequently Asked Questions

We invite your comments and suggestions and will add questions periodically as they arise.  

How much wine is held in the oak barrels seen from the winery tasting room?
The small barrels hold 50 gallons or 250 bottles of wine. The large barrels have a capacity of 130 gallons and make 650 bottles of wine.

Is wine vegan?
Many wines are treated with a protein of some sort. We have and do treat some wines with proteins such as egg whites on a wine-by-wine basis. Proteins are used to clarify, soften, and improve wines - they bind with unwanted molecules and are precipitated and filtered out of the wine prior to bottling. This practice has been used in the wine-making world for hundreds of years. The common thought and consensus in the industry is that no detectable amount of animal protein remains in the wine. If you have a question about a specific wine, please contact us.

What is the significance of the Freelings Creek label? 
Johnson Estate uses the Freelings Creek label for approximately seventeen premium wines in its portfolio – all of which are classic, European style wines. The Freelings Creek wines are bottled with glass corks and include Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir as well as wines with similar taste profiles made from our French-hybrid varietal grapes (Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin). 

What does “estate” wine mean?
“Estate” wines are made from grapes grown in vineyards owned and managed by a winery. This is the case at Johnson Estate – which owns 110 acres of vineyards, with thirteen different grape varieties. As an estate winery, Johnson Estate’s vineyard practices are wholly-integrated into the production of its wines and quality, rather than quantity, is the governing principle from bud to bottle.

In the United States, federal laws provide label regulations to distinguish “estate” wines. Wines made from estate-grown grapes AND produced and bottled on the premises are labelled with the words “Estate-grown, produced and bottled”. The majority of Johnson Estate’s wines have this wording. Wines made from grapes purchased by a winery have the words “Produced and Bottled” – Johnson Estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon falls into this category.

Does Johnson Estate grow all of the grapes for their wines?
The vast majority of our wines are produced from grapes which we grow on our estate in Westfield, NY. As a general rule, we are interested in making the best wines possible and believe that this begins with the fruit. We buy Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Washington State, where the climate is better for these grapes for dry red wine.