Lake Anna Winery

The winery is housed in an old barn located on the Heidig farm. Built for dairy cows in the 1940s, adapting this structure for a winery proved to be a real challenge. The original floor was not strong enough to support the weight of the tanks, the ceiling was too low to accommodate the height of the tanks, and the roof leaked. The renovation began in earnest when the old cement floor was broken up and removed and replaced with reinforced concrete. The roof traded the old tin for new shingles, and four holes were cut into the loft floor to accommodate the taller fermenting tanks. Remodeling the interior was the next task. To cut costs, the Heidigs did as much of the work as they could, stretching the forbearance of family and friends to the limit. Two neighbors, Elmo Proffitt and Charley Gentry, were of tremendous help. They spent many weekends constructing the large front door, framing all the doors and windows, and serving as advisors, telling Bill and Ann that certain jobs were not as easy as they thought, and then showing them the right way to do it. In the spring of 1990 the winery was completed.

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