ROCK STREAM, NY — If this photo of a freshly-cleared field looks stark, don’t worry. It will be home to a new visitors center at the Magnus Ridge Winery.
The clearing was the ground-breaking for a center that will include four tasting rooms and a cafe, and is targeted for an opening by next May in this Yates County community.
The winery is owned by Sandy and Matt Downey. They plan to develop the 16-acre plot in phases, with the later stages including cottage-style lodging and relocating the winery from its current location nearby. An amphitheater and walking trails also are in the works.
The Downeys have been growing grapes on the western slope of Seneca Lake for about five years, after clearing 57 wooded acres to allow the planting of mostly vinifera vines. Magnus Ridge has vintages dating to 2007 in storage or bottled. in tanks or bottles.
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