08/17/2026
Fortune smiled briefly on the Farrells in 1958, when Hungarian winemaker Joe Monostori found his way to Brotherhood’s doorstep. Monostori, his wife, and their two children had fled their native Hungary after the failed 1956 Hungarian Revolution, with little more than the clothes on their backs. Looking for work in his newly-adopted country, Monostori was first introduced to Brotherhood at the immigration office, when he requested a list of New York wineries. Brotherhood Winery was the closest. Monostori began by working in the wine cellars while he learned English. Many recall that he often wore overalls with a dictionary tied to his bib, looking up word after word until he gradually mastered the language.
As the decade progressed, an unexpected trend was emerging—a demand for sweet wines with low alcohol content, pronounced flavor, and even slight carbonation. Such popularity stemmed from the young generation’s desire for a beverage similar to the non-alcoholic, carbonated “soft drinks” which were favored during Prohibition. These specialty wines, dubbed “Mod” wines, were causing a decline in consumption of the established, higher-alcohol content dessert types such as port, sherry and muscatel.
In keeping with this trend, Farrell developed a full-flavored, sweet ruby red wine predominantly made from Concord. It was dubbed “Rosario” by Eloise Farrell, after the Rosario Straits in Northwest Washington, one of her favorite scenic vistas. Early vintages were made in limited quantities, and were so well-received they sold out quickly.
Now, Farrell and Monostori together created several varieties that would introduce a new set of specialized, Old World wines to the U.S. market that would help distinguish Brotherhood from other wineries: The tradition of mulled wine in this country dates back to before America’s colonial era, when it was quaffed, piping hot, in taverns, inns and homes. Thus, Brotherhood’s Holiday Spiced Wine was born, a non-fortified, red mulled wine, containing a special formula of herbs and spices, and made to be served hot or cold.
