Winery Visit - Lake Anna Winery

Address: 5621 Courthouse Road, Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA, 22551

Phone: (540) 895-5085

                 

      17-18 Acres and expanding                     I at Main Entrance

I visited this winery due to a friend who always goes to the Lake Anna State Park over the summer. This place is less than 10 minutes away from the park. The environment around the winery is friendly and welcoming. We arrived early in the winery. We were welcomed and toured by Eric Heidig. We got to meet his second brother Jeff Heidig, who was a Hokie, on our way out. These two brothers actually own the vineyard and this is a family owned winery. First owned and established by their father, Bill Heidig, after a trip in France. During the trip he noticed that the climate of France was similar to Spotsylvania, VA and started the business with his wife Ann in 1880’s. First wines produced were made from the first harvested grapes, Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc.

Award Winning Wine Bottle

To name a couple here are some of their award winning wines:

Cabernet Franc: Silver Medal, Tasters Guild International Wine Competition (2008)

Chardonnay Bellhaven: Silver Medal, International Eastern Wine Competition (2008) Seyval Blanc: Silver Medal, Tasters Guild International Wine Competition (2008) Silver Medal, International Eastern Wine Competition (2008) Silver Medal, Fourth Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition (2008)

Oak Barrel used to ferment wine

Ripening time of grapes is around early August. They hire a wine chemists from France to check on the grapes for its sugar content. Once the sugar level, pH, and acidity are its correct stage then they call the pickers to harvest the grapes.

Eric treats all of his grapes equally, there is no specific wine he is proud of. Every grapes to him are of great importance. The two brothers Eric and Jeff took over the barn sixteen years ago and they added tanks, tasting room, wine-making room, and climate control room for wine production. Jeff said “We don’t believe in having more than 1 warehouse, because we believe in producing and distributing instead of housing them.”

Stainless Steel tanks to ferment wine

They use French made barrels made of US woods, white oak medium toast. French Coopers made the barrels they have been using. When Bill started making wine he had only one stainless steel tank now they have 5-6 more tanks. One of the future goal they have is to plant more grapes on the 17-18 acres of land just need the time and people to do so.

Their bottling machine bottles up to 1600 bottles an hour. After bottled, it is placed in climate control that is about 60°F. They distribute to every state, all year around. They do more distribution during the fall. The winery makes New World wines.

Eric and his Bottling Machine

We did tasting after a tour of the winery. The wines they served us were all enjoyable drinks. I enjoyed   each and everyone one of them. Here is a list of the wines we were served:

Seyval Blanc 2014:- Bronze Governors Cup 2016 - $15.00

Temperate spicy pears tinged with tropical lemon and guava accents, transcend geographical distances in this crisp, dry quaff. Fermented and aged six months in stainless steel tanks, this wine is excellent company with fish and lighter chicken dishes

Barrel Select Chardonnay 2014:- $18.00

English Toffee and Caramel Apples are underscored with tropical fruit tones that add elegance to this mouth filling barrel fermented 10 months Chardonnay. Its seamless palate and succulent finish make for an excellent pairing with roast chicken, sauteed scallops or mushroom risotto. At home on the winter dining table or the summertime deck.

Totally White:- New Release - $15.00

No green apples. No ripe peaches. No tropical touches. No subtle hints. JUST...Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, and Vidal Blanc.

Spotsylvania Claret:- Silver Governors Cup 2016 - $15.00

Bright cherry-tinged with herb and raspberry flavors make this medium-bodied ruby garnet-colored red appealing to a broad range of wine drinkers. The lively acidity helps it pair with a diverse assortment of foods.

Morgan Merlot 2014:- New Release; Bronze Governors Cup 2016 - $20.00

Best Merlot comes from Morgan Vineyard named after his grandmother Elner Marie Morgan. The 2014 fruit was ripe and rich and produced a wine with a lovely dark ruby color, with blackberry notes throughout and a lengthy finish.

Tannat 2010:- Gold Taster Guild Intl - $23.00

As it’s name implies, has plenty of big rustic tannins, tamed by aging in barrels for 2 years. Dark, brooding fruit and Mediterranean herbs give this wine its distinctive flavor.

Lake Side White:- $13.00

Waves of tropical fruit tossed with a zest of lemon make this semi-sweet libation perfect for picnics at the beach, sipping by the winter fireplace, or pairing with everyday food, anytime, anywhere. Fermented and aged in stainless steel.

Lake Side Sunset:- $13.00

Sociable and fun, this light, fruity, semi-dry wine is refreshing with spicy dishes, ham, fruit, and soft cheeses. Excellent before dinner or with dessert.

Concerto 2015 :- New Release - $15.00

A harmonious concert of aromas, flavors, and textures. This Merlot based wine is enhanced with a bit of tartness and richness form montmorency cherry juice from Michigan.

Essensual 2014 :- $20.00

A sweet, floral, vicious treat, made in the non-traditional ice wine style, combining the essence of grape Vidal Blanc, with a sensual mouth feel.

I will go back again to visit the winery during summer. I learned a lot and found out there are internship opportunities they are working on. But one thing for sure, Jeff doesn’t mind getting extra help when it comes down to harvesting. So I will be back in the summer to get to learn more experience and learn more about the wine processing from a hands on experience.