To some, cleaning up decades of saved items in an old house is a chore that many would rather put off. To others, it can be a step back in history. Some may find excitement in a treasure or what they believe may be a treasure. Last week we were in a situation of going through decades of items. One dust covered bottle caught our attention. After cleaning we discovered a half gallon wine bottle. What was unique was the embossed decorations on the bottle. Grapes and grapes leaves provided a tactile feel. The center of the bottle featured an embossed eagle and coat of arms. The words said Garrett’s American Wines.

It is not surprising to find this beautiful wine bottle in an upstate New York house. The Garrett family was from upstate New York. They built a successful wine business near Keuka Lake sourcing grapes from a wide area. During Prohibition they created a new business. They created flavor extracts. After prohibition they continued making and bottling wines. The company began to decline after the death of Captain Garrett in 1940. Constellation Brands eventually purchased the business.

This particular wine bottle will be kept for many more decades. It is decorative and has a historical story to tell. It could be used as a decanter, however since I have an air lock that fits the bottle I’ll use it in wine making. I like a small bottle that has wine for topping up the wine in carboys. On the other hand, this bottle needs to be shown off rather than being returned to the dark.