At Johnson Estate Winery, we often talk about the importance of history, family, and the stories behind every bottle. But some bottles in our collection have a story unlike any other.
Long before they arrived in Western New York, these empty bottles traveled across oceans, carried aboard sailing vessels, and were eventually buried beneath the rivers and waterways of South America for more than 200 years.
Today, they serve as a remarkable reminder of the curiosity and adventurous spirit of Johnson Estate founder, Frederick S. Johnson.
Before founding Johnson Estate Winery, Fred Johnson spent many years working throughout South America as an agricultural consultant. During the 1950s and 1960s, Fred and his family lived in Venezuela before eventually returning to Western New York in 1961.
While working in British Guiana (present-day Guyana), Fred discovered something fascinating: fishermen were recovering old glass bottles from the Demerara River and nearby ocean channels.
These bottles were not ordinary bottles. They were pieces of history.
Many of the bottles dated back to the 1700s and were originally produced in England or Holland before being filled with wine or distilled spirits and shipped aboard sailing vessels to European colonies in the New World.
After being emptied, many bottles were discarded into rivers and waterways by settlers and sailors. Over time, sand and silt buried them beneath the riverbed, preserving them for generations.
As river channels shifted and changed, the bottles slowly resurfaced, eventually finding their way into fishermen’s nets.
Fascinated by their history, Fred began collecting these unique bottles and eventually shipped dozens of them back to Westfield, NY.
The collection traveled thousands of miles by ship and plane before arriving at its final home in Western New York.
Each bottle carries evidence of its journey:
While these bottles predate Johnson Estate Winery by hundreds of years, they represent something deeply connected to our family’s story: curiosity, appreciation for agriculture, and respect for history.
Fred Johnson was not only interested in growing grapes and making wine. He was fascinated by the stories behind the things people leave behind, and these bottles became another chapter in his lifelong pursuit of discovery.
The historic bottle collection is typically on display at the Patterson Library in Westfield, NY, where visitors can experience a fascinating piece of history connected to the Johnson family and the wider story of exploration, trade, and craftsmanship.
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
