Adam Puchta Winery

The story of the winery begins on May 25, 1839, when Adam Puchta, along with his father, John Henry Puchta, and other family members left the port of Hamburg, Germany for the United States. Upon the familys arrival in Hermann they settled on a 40-acre tract of land adjacent to the land on which the winery is located. Adams father built a one-room log cabin, approximately 16 x 20 for his family and a small wine cellar with a press house over it. He purchased the land in 1841 and in 1849 purchased 40 more acres, which is now part of the winery farm and continued planting vineyards and purchasing more land for vineyard use.

Adam and his brother worked on the farm until the spring of 1853, when the Puchta brothers left Hermann for California in quest of gold and riches. Less than two years after his departure from Hermann, Adam returned to Hermann, where he purchased 40 acres of land from his father, built a small log cabin, wine cellar and press house, founding the Adam Puchta & Son Wine Co.. In 1855 he produced his first wine using wild grapes and grapes from his fathers vineyard.

In the 1880s Adams son Henry joined him in the family farm winery business and began to expand the winerys production, which flourished until Prohibition shut them down in 1919!

During prohibition, Henry continued to make wine for family use from a few retained vines, elderberries, blackberries, and even dandelions, while continuing to run a large farming operation.

In 1989 Randolph Puchta and his son Timothy, began planning the reopening of the Adam Puchta Winery as a commercial enterprise. This was a dream of both Timothy and his father; and with their combined hard work, that dream was realized when sales and shipment of wine once again began in 1990.

Today Adam Puchta Winery is once again producing award winning wines, combining the heritage of the original family wine operation with the use of modern winemaking equipment, vineyards and facilities all of which are still located on the original property. This Puchta family heritage makes the Adam Puchta Winery, the oldest continuously family owned winery in the United States!