11 of the Oldest Wine Brands Still Around Today

Wine branding is far older than modern marketing. In ancient Rome, amphorae were marked with details such as a wine’s origin and intended recipient, and taverns advertised wines at different prices. Although many early producers have vanished, several historic names have survived wars, economic crises, changing tastes, and other upheavals.

Veuve Clicquot

The Champagne house was founded in Reims in 1772 by textile merchant Philippe Clicquot. When his son François died in 1805, François’s 27-year-old widow, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, took over the business during the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars.

Seeing an opportunity in Russia, Madame Clicquot took a major risk in 1814 by sending almost 10,000 bottles of the 1811 vintage to St. Petersburg without a shipping license. The gamble helped the company survive until demand for French luxury goods recovered. She is also credited with helping develop the riddling table, a method for clearing sediment from sparkling wine, and with pioneering rosé Champagne made by blending red wine and white Champagne.

Taylor Fladgate

Taylor Fladgate’s roots go back to 1692, when English merchant Job Bearsley arrived in Portugal to trade wine. The family later moved into Port and acquired property near Régua in the Douro Valley.

During the Napoleonic Wars, American merchant Joseph Camo helped protect the business’s wine stocks and shipments from French seizure. The company adopted the name Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman in 1838, after John Fladgate joined a partnership with Morgan Yeatman. Today, the Port house is best known for Vintage Port and produces a range of fortified wines.

Ruinart

Ruinart is widely regarded as the world’s first Champagne house. Its origins date to the early 18th century, when Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart noticed growing interest in sparkling wine in Paris. His nephew, Nicolas Ruinart, developed the idea into a business and shifted his focus entirely to Champagne in 1735.

In 1877, the house acquired underground chalk quarries, known as crayères, for aging and storing its wines. The galleries also provided shelter during World War I, when bombardments damaged properties in Reims. After World War II, the company renewed its focus on Chardonnay, which remains central to its portfolio.

Moët & Chandon

Wine merchant Claude Moët founded the Champagne house in 1743, initially serving French aristocrats and the royal court. His grandson, Jean-Rémy Moët, later worked to expand the business beyond France, building connections with prominent visitors to Épernay, including Napoleon Bonaparte.

The company grew into a major international producer, eventually exporting millions of bottles each year. It merged with cognac maker Jas Hennessy & Cie in 1971 to form Moët Hennessy, then joined Louis Vuitton in 1987 to create LVMH.

Château Lafite Rothschild

Château Lafite Rothschild traces its history to the 13th century, though its rise to prominence came later under the Ségur family. The family expanded the vineyards, and Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur helped make Lafite popular among European nobility. The wine eventually reached the court of Louis XV.

After the French Revolution, the estate passed through several owners. Baron James de Rothschild bought it at auction in 1868. The vineyard later endured phylloxera, fungal diseases, and the disruption of two world wars. After World War II, Baron Élie de Rothschild oversaw its restoration and helped develop its international markets. It remains one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wine estates.

Château Margaux

Château Margaux’s history reaches back to the 12th century, although its vineyards were established in the 1500s, when Pierre de Lestonnac replaced the estate’s cereal crops with vines.

By the 18th century, its wines had attracted wealthy admirers, including British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole and American diplomat Thomas Jefferson. The French Revolution brought confiscation and the execution of owner Élie du Barry. The estate later earned First Growth status in 1855, but mildew, phylloxera, poor vintages, and economic troubles took their toll.

Greek-born businessman André Mentzelopoulos bought the estate in 1977 and began restoring it. His daughter Corinne continued the work after his death in 1980. Château Margaux is now one of Bordeaux’s leading First Growth estates.

Sandeman

George Sandeman, a Scotsman from Perth, established his wine business in London in 1790 using £300 borrowed from his father. At a time when wine was often shipped in unmarked barrels, he branded his casks with the initials GSC. In 1811, he acquired a Port-aging cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.

Sandeman grew into a major Port exporter and later expanded internationally. Its history includes the release of a white Port expression, Porto Branco, in 1964. After becoming a public company in 1952 and changing ownership several times, it was acquired by Portuguese wine group Sogrape in 2002.

Brotherhood

New York’s Brotherhood Winery began with John Jaques, a cobbler and shopkeeper who started selling grapes in 1835. After grape prices fell, he turned to sacramental wine in 1839. His sons later took over, renamed the business Jaques Brothers Winery, and expanded production.

The winery survived Prohibition by making sacramental and medicinal wines under strict regulations. Later owners Francis and Eloise Farrell helped build its wine-tourism business. A major fire damaged historic buildings in 1999, but restoration and modernization followed, including improvements to the vineyards, winemaking equipment, and visitor facilities.

Charles Krug

Journalist-turned-winemaker Charles Krug founded his Napa Valley winery in 1861, after receiving about 540 acres through his marriage into the Bale family. The winery became an important influence on the region’s developing wine industry.

Prohibition left it dormant and in poor condition. In 1943, the Mondavi family purchased the property and revived it, introducing innovations such as cold fermentation for white wines and imported French oak for aging reds. The estate was designated a California historic landmark in 1956 and later added to the National Register of Historic Places. It remains under Mondavi family leadership.

Gundlach Bundschu

Bavarian immigrant Jacob Gundlach bought 400 acres in Sonoma Valley in 1858, and the estate’s first full Rhinefarm vintage followed in 1861. His future son-in-law, Charles Bundschu, joined the business in 1868 and helped expand it, including with a branch in New York.

An earthquake and fire destroyed the family’s San Francisco home and winery in the early 20th century. Prohibition brought another setback, but owner Walter Bundschu kept the vineyard in operation by selling grapes for juice and to other wineries. The family returned to winemaking in 1973, releasing wine commercially in 1976. Gundlach Bundschu remains family-owned.

Schramsberg

German immigrant Jacob Schram purchased more than 200 acres on Napa Valley’s Diamond Mountain in 1862. The winery grew through the late 19th century, when it produced more than 20,000 cases annually. Its early wines included Zinfandel, Burgundy, Hock, Riesling, and Sauvignon Vert.

After Jacob’s death, the property changed hands and fell into obscurity. Jack and Jamie Davies bought the neglected estate in 1965 and reimagined it as a sparkling-wine producer. A landmark moment came in 1972, when the 1969 Blanc de Blancs was served at a state dinner in Beijing during President Richard Nixon’s visit to China. The Davies family still runs the winery, which produces a range of sparkling wines.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!