Back to basics winery proposed

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Conversations have begun between town planners and two gentlemen who want to construct a winery, vineyard and 30-room resort complex on Bernas Road, just off of Route 17B in the Town of Cochecton.

Rosenstreich and Al Zecchine, partners in Rose Stevons and Company, intended to build the winery in Jeffersonville, but Gregg Semenetz said, “the site was not large enough.” Now, their search has led them to the old Norris farm property, a parcel that they hope will suit their needs.

Town of Callicoon Supervisor Semenetz introduced and recommended Rosenstreich and Zecchine to the Town of Cochecton Planning Board at its May 29 meeting.

“This project is something that couldn’t happen in our town. I wouldn’t sign off if it wouldn’t be good for all of us,” Semenetz said.

Rosenstreich played a major role in developing the Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery in Warwick, Orange County, NY, a venue that draws between three and four thousand visitors on summer weekends, he said.

The partners hoped to earn the board’s general support at this early stage.

After listening to a presentation, Planning Board Chairman Andrew Ranaudo said, “I trust Gregg, and I believe this project could be a real asset. The first step will be to obtain a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals to accommodate a building of this size in the residential district.” Other board members agreed.

The $11 million project will spread over 44 acres with a 40,000-square-foot building to house a restaurant, catering facility, winery, distillery and spa. The facility will also offer educational seminars on wine making, a room where visitors can make and store their own barrels of wine, a grape juice factory and a ceramics workshops for kids.

“People really started to come to Warwick after we built the winery. But, we want to slow it down and keep this a small, intimate family-style project. It will be a clean industry that brings in a lot of tourism, and at the same time, we plan to support local farming by purchasing most of our fruits and vegetables locally to make products such as apple-spiced wine,” Rosenstreich said. About 80 percent of the property will remain pastoral.

With project architect Joseph Horowitz’ drawings before the board, the partners described a building with post-and-beam construction, dramatic, high ceilings and a broad roof overhanging large glass windows. No high-intensity lights will be used, and the structure will blend with the environment, they said.

The winery and resort will employ roughly 50 people with quality jobs and potential careers in the wine industry.

“We intend to make some excellent wines and draw people who don’t look to rush through the town, people with sophisticated taste for our wines and time to enjoy the resort. We will make a Cayuga Blanc with Concord basic grapes, though before the vineyard is ready, we will purchase fine wines to sell,” Rosenstreich said.

Recreating the back-to-basics feel that so many Americans experience when they travel to regions in the south of France and Tuscany and encouraging a future wine industry in the area is not just idle conversation for the two gentlemen from the Hudson Valley — or the Town of Cochecton.