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- Founded: February 1989

- Acres: 127 - Acres under vine: 75

- Family Roots: Operated by the Cox family, now in its third generation of winemaking

- Annual Output: Over 2 million bottles and 330,000 gallons of wine per year

- Wine Styles: dry, sweet, sparkling, and specialty blends

- Grape Varieties: - Native Muscadine grapes (Noble, Carlos, Welder, Stover) - Vinifera grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon)

Lakeridge Winery

Tucked into the slopes of Clermont, FL, stands the state's largest winery—a pioneer in crafting muscadine wines. Nestled on a sprawling 127-acre hillside estate (80+ acres under vine), the winery offers a delectable experience for wine enthusiasts, featuring free wine samplings, daily guided tours, vineyard views, and a vibrant calendar of events.

Steeped in vineyard ritual and Mediterranean in silhouette— inviting arched thresholds, terracotta-tiled crowns, sunbaked earthy ochre facades, calls to mind the timeless charm of a Tuscan villa. Yet here, recast in Florida’s golden hills, the estate breathes muscadine into the breeze, mingled with Clermont’s citrus-laced winds, where the Southern warmth infuses every grapelet with native soul and the welcome is distinctly Floridian!

The spacious, wood-accented, multi-level tasting room—where barnwood sophistication meets polished elegance, softened by Southern hospitality. Framed pressed tin ceiling tiles—embossed with vintage scrollwork and burnished with a time-worn patina—lend a touch of 20th-century gaming parlor grandeur. Upstairs, a mezzanine lounge gazes out over the vineyard’s edge—a perfect perch for quiet reflection, paired with the Hidden Pour: a tasting flight of wines unseen by the tour’s eye, reserved for those who walk beyond the path. Below, the main floor hums with convivial energy, where tin ceilings echo with laughter as guests gather around the double-sided tasting bar to savor curated micro-pours of their ritual vintages, each met with a wine bard's tidbit of varietal verse. Stories and sips flow in both directions, binding strangers into kinfolk through the ritual of the pour.

Come weekends, the tasting trail winds through the production facility, inviting guests to sample wines alongside the vessels and machines that conjured them. Stepping from the ferment’s fold, beyond the split-rail timberline, beneath oak-laced boughs, its open-air harvest hallow awakens a sylvan sanctum—inviting ritual and revelry—echoing the agrarian soul of old Florida, vineyard elegance, and a token of Southern nostalgia. Live music drifts through the branches, mingling with the rhythmic stomp of bare feet in grape-filled barrels, keeping time with fiddle and breeze, reviving the jubilant pulse of harvest tradition. This muscadine-centered tasting experience blends old-world elegance with tropical ease, often described as “an oasis in a sea of orange groves” and “plucked straight out of a Mediterranean postcard with palm trees.”

Within the heart of the winery, a symphony of steel and story unfolds. Stepping into their sanctum of creation—the winery’s production floor, guests glimpse the alchemy of libation. The facility hums with state-of-the-art mechanics: Silver-skinned Glycol-armored sentinels, stout of form, serve as vaults of temperature-controlled fermenters, where zymosis’s hush-sody rests—cradled in steel’s embrace. Destemmers murmur separation rites. Steel-bellied press’s compress-sody percussive thrum draws the harvest’s soul from thick-skinned muscadines into liquid ritual. Filtration plates percolate—alchemical sieves breathe out the harvest’s sigh, where wine is winnowed and dregs surrender to clarity. Automated bottling lines procession, binding wine to vessel—its final incantations of closure, craft, and flourish. Automated wrapping station, packaging wrap-sody sings the harvest’s farewell hymn. Outside, the gathering of the oxbow grape harvester rustles over the vines, its harvest composing a hymn of mechanical myth. Beyond the alloy-bodied hum, wood conspires—where staved oak aging barrels steep in quiet lore. Each element is designed to honor the scale and quality of the harvest, while preserving the artisanal soul of craft.

Lakeridge Winery proudly upholds Florida's rich winemaking heritage and has become a cornerstone of Florida's agricultural tourism. Refining the art of blending time-honored vinification techniques with Florida’s sun-soaked subtropical terroir, their 500+ acers of vineyards yield both indigenous muscadine species and regionally adapted hybrid cultivars like Stover, Suwannee, and Blanc Du Bois. These grapes create distinctive flavor profiles that highlight the essence of Florida-grown grapes, offering visitors a true taste of the Sunshine State. Lakeridge also specializes in classic vinifera varietals, cultivating a diverse portfolio reinterpreted through the lens of Florida’s distinctive craftful blends—each bottle a dialogue between old-world wisdom and Florida’s untamed bounty.

Tasting Profile

Southern Red

Southern White

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Reserve Petite Sirah

Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Pinot Noir

Optimal Decanter Time

0–15min

0–15min 'chilled'

45–65min

30–45min

0

15–20 min

Optimal Serving Temperature

50–55°F (10–13°C)

40-45°F (4-7°C)

63-65°F (17-18°C)

63-65°F (17-18°C)

48°-50°F (9-10°C)

55–60°F (13–16°C)

Fruit

Body

Tannin

Acidity

Sweetness

Residual Sugar

Sweet

6%

Sweet

6%

Dry

%

Dry

%

Dry

%

Dry

%

Varietal Composition

%100 Muscadine Noble

95% Muscadine Carlos

%5 Muscadine Welder

Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Petite Sirah

Sauvignon Blanc

Pinot Noir

Alcohol by Volume

11%

11%

14%

14%

12.5%

14%

Notes of

Fruity Berry undertones, Muscadine musk

(hints of Berry Floral lift)

Fruity Muscadine musk

(Creamy aroma)

Mocha, Vanilla, Blackberry, Ripe Cherries, Cassis

(Plum aroma)

Blackberry, Spice, hint of Vanilla Meld with fine Tannin

Palate of Peach, Guava

Tropical Fruit, Citrus and Zesty aromatics

Ripe Cherries, Strawberries, a hint of Rose Petals, Toasted Coconut

Food Paring

Cuisine: Juicy, Saucy, Creamy, Soft, Sweet, Sticky, Slightly Salty, Crumbly

Rich Desserts, Cheese, Pasta, Pizza, (Sweet, Tangy, or Spicy Cuisines)

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine

Rich Dessert, Cheese, Fresh Fruit (Savory, Spicy & Sweet Cuisines)

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine

Rich Dessert, Cheese, Meats, (Hearty, Savory & Sweet Cuisines)

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine

Seafood, Chicken, Pork

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Sunblush

Chablis

Pinot Grigio

Chardonnay

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Optimal Decanter Time

0

0

0

0

30 min

30 min

Optimal Serving Temperature

45–50°F (7–10°C)

45–50°F (7–10°C)

45–50°F (7–10°C)

45–55°F (7–13°C)

60–65°F (15–18°C)

55–60°F (13–16°C)

Fruit

Body

Tannin

Acidity

Sweetness

Sweetness

Semi-Sweet

3.5%

Semi-Dry

2%

Semi-Dry

%

Dry

%

Dry

%

Dry

%

Varietal Composition

Muscadine Noble

Muscadine Carlos

(% varies year to year)

95% Muscadine Carlos

5% Muscadine Welder

Pinot Grigio

Chardonnay

%Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscadine %

Merlot

Alcohol by Volume

11%

11%

13%

12%

13%

13%

Notes of

Light notes of Tropical, Berry, Citrus fruits with a Muscadine musk

Tropical fruits (passion fruit, mango) Stone fruits (peaches) Citrus, Floral (jasmine, apple blossom), with a Muscadine musk

Tropical, Citrus Fruit

Click To Add Text

hint of Oak

Black Cherry, Plum, hint of Cocoa, Smoke, Tannin

Food Paring

Cuisine: Light Bodied, Savory, Mildly Sweet, Mildly Spicy,

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine: Creamy, Silky, Umami-rich, Slightly Salty, Mildly Sweet

Light fare: Finger foods, rice dishes, pasta.

Sauces: Fruit-forward (balsamic strawberry, berry, cherry, peach glaze, apricot glaze, honey-lemon drizzle), Creamy (Sunblush cream-based, béchamel-style, sweet potato), Savory and spicy sauces (light bbq, sweet chili glaze, garlic and herb)

Charcuterie:

Cuisine: Rich, Savory, Slightly Salty, Mildly Sweet, Mildly Spicy

Shellfish, Poultry (fried), Pork (gyro, glazed), Sushi, Sashimi, Salmon (smoked), Mushrooms (sautéed)

Sauces: Creamy (tarragon, watercress) Soy, Sweet & Sour, Wasabi, Yuzu, Light Curry (tandoori), Citrus Vinaigrette, Lemon Butter, Garlic and Herb Butter, Mustard-based

Charcuterie: Cheeses: brie, camembert, triple creams, chèvre (fresh or aged), aged gouda, gruyère, manchego, comté, feta, mozzarella; Cured Meats: chorizo (mild/ dry-cured) prosciutto, sopressata, serrano ham; Fruits, Jams, Preserves, Spreads: pears, green apples, white peaches, berries, figs, dried apricots, golden raisins, fig jam, quince paste (membrillo), artichoke dip; Crackers, Breads: neutral cracker, sliced baguette, flatbread, giant pretzel; Salty Snacks: caviar, popcorn, shrimp cocktail, marcona almonds, pistachios; Olives: mild, briny.

Cuisine: Light Bodied, Creamy, Silky, Tangy, Delicate, Umami, Slightly Salty

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine: Rich, Hearty, Heavy, Savory, Umami, Fatty, Sauced, Salty, Charred

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuisine: Moderately Rich, Tender, Herbaceous, Savory, Umami, Creamy, Silky, Slightly Salty, Mildly Sweet and Smokey

Food

Sauces:

Charcuterie:

Cuvee Noir

St. Augustine Lighthouse

Cream Sherry

Pink Crescendo

Proprietor's Reserve

Ruby Port

Port

Optimal Decanter Time

0–15 min

0

0

45–60 min

30–45 min

30 min

Optimal Serving Temperature

50–55°F (10–13°C)

50–55°F (10–13°C)

45–50°F (7–10°C)