Trick question – how much do you love your mom? Maybe more importantly – how much does your mom love you? What would she sacrifice for you? These are important questions in understanding how Narmada got started.

Narmada was founded by Sudha and Pandit Patil, both originally from India. Pandit wished to study in the U.S. but lacked the funds to do so. Undeterred, he applied for a scholarship to New Mexico State University – and earned one. But that scholarship didn’t cover a plane ticket. To pay for it, his mother sold her family jewelry to pay for the ride over. Narmada is named after her, because she’s the reason this winery exists.

Now, THAT’S what I call a backstory!

Sudha and Pandit married when she was 17. Their parents arranged the marriage – but on the condition Pandit had to not only take her with him to the States, but also further Sudha’s education. He agreed, and Sudha pursued her education with vigor. First came a BS in Chemistry from George Mason, followed by a dental degree at Georgetown, and lastly an MS from the University of Maryland.

Over the years they indulged in their passion for traveling, and with traveling came an interest in wine. As the 1990s arrived the Patils started thinking of retirement. But while driving home from dinner at The Inn at Little Washington they discovered a farm down the road from Grey Ghost was for sale. As Grey Ghost was already a favorite of theirs, the idea of starting a vineyard was intriguing.

While both of their parents had a farming or gardening background, looking back Sudha admits they had no idea what they were getting into. But fortunately for all of us who love Virginia wine, in 1999 they purchased the property. The vineyard was planted five years later.

The initial plan was to grow organically – but Mother Nature had a vote on that decision. After fighting weather and Japanese beetles, in 2005 they switched strategies started to utilize pesticides. Now, Narmada has 10 varietals planted on almost 20 acres of vines, split about evenly between vinifera and hybrids. Occasionally they purchase fruit from Horton – usually Tannat – but most of their wines are made from estate fruit.

Sudha has been the winemaker since they opened in 2009. One thing that always struck me about Narmada’s wines is they often seem to have a spiciness to them, which I attribute to her cultural and educational background. It also helped that she took classes with Jim Law, who she calls the “guru of Virginia wine”. Now Narmada makes around 3000 cases/year.

As soon as you walk in, you can sense the Indian theme permeating all aspects of the venue, whether it be the décor, the soft music in the background, or the even the food. That’s right – they have Indian food here! I admit I indulged myself with some samosas.

As for the wine, Narmada boasts a large selection from sweet to dry with several options that lie in-between. Sudha kept pouring…and pouring…but I obviously wasn’t going to say ‘no’ to anything. My tasting experience started off well and everything just kept getting better and better (no that’s not the alcohol talking – it really was that good).

2015 “Dream” (Traminette): Subtle for this grape, light and crisp.

2015 Mom (Vidal and a bit of Chardonel): Some pineapple on the nose, semi-sweet but only barely.

2017 Chardonel: Made in neutral barrels; some citrus on the nose and palate.

2018 Gualabi (Rose): Made with Chambourcin and a dash of some other grapes. Lots of strawberry and watermelon notes.

2014 Reflection: Chambourcin heavy; semi-sweet.

2015 Melange: The first of two Bordeaux-blends that I tried; the fruit notes are there but not overly so.

2014 Yash-vir: Another Bordeaux-blend; bold but well balanced. My second favorite of the day.

2015 Cabernet Franc Reserve: Suvi’s favorite; some spice and pepper notes while retaining red fruit.

2017 Merlot: Another winner; 100% Merlot fruit, noticeably earthy.

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon: Very round mouthfeel; smooth tannins. I swear, every time I thought I had a favorite the wines just get better and better!

2016 Petit Verdot (with a splash of Cab Franc): Jammy nose, plumb and blackberry notes.

Legacy: Traminette heavy but with Vidal and Chardonel; sweetened with mango. I’m not a sweet wine drinker but I really liked this one.

Allure: A desert wine made with Chambourcin and a little Tannat; the nose reminded me of bourbon (which is a good thing).

2014 Midnight (Chambourcin): Semi-sweet; very fruity. Reminded me of a sagria.

2016 Tannat: MY favorite of the day; and that says a lot since there was a lot to love here. Great nose; smooth but full bodied. Just an all-around amazing wine.

Ramulose Ridge Vineyards was one of the last visits of my latest Southern Virginia excursion; although to be technically correct, they are in the Virginia Mountains AVA. Located a short drive from Smith Mountain Lake, the area is a mix of residential housing and farm country. It’s a pretty area to visit, both for the lake and nearby city of Roanoke.

Driving there it’s easy to miss the turn into the long driveway; after a false start I passed through the gate towards the house in the distance. Sadly, I couldn’t linger here, although that patio upstairs overlooking the vineyard seemed very inviting.

In an industry full of places where most tasting room associates are all too often only somewhat acquainted with their wines, Ramulose was a treat as owner/wine maker Sandi Ramaker was pouring. Although the tasting room was busy we still found a corner to chat.

Ramulose Ridge translates as “Having many branches”; certainly an apt description for a vineyard. Sandi and husband Jim were living in Hong Kong when they decided to turn their Virginia property into a winery. While many places utilize consultants and hire a wine maker, they decided they wanted to forge their own path. In preparation Sandi studied enology at UC Davis, and together they researched what to plant for their future vineyard.

Today they have 5 acres of vines, roughly split between hybrids and vinifera.  Notably these vines include Syrah, Malbec and Muscat; all varietals that are rare for Virginia. Sandi was justifiably proud how they’ve produced several vintages of each – although the Malbec was long gone when I visited. At the time of my visit they were producing just under 3000 cases/year, all made with estate fruit.

The tasting menu was surprisingly extensive for such a small vineyard. But if that’s not enough they also make small packets of fruit-driven wines. Think of them as sippy packets, but for adults!

I was also surprised to learn that Ramulose is a participant in the Virginia Wine and Cigar Trail; I actually didn’t know there was such a thing. It’s quite useful to know, since my dad is a cigar smoker but not a wine drinker, so now I can hook up mom and dad at the same place.

Across the board I thought the wines were well made. For someone who was more-or-less a winemaker by accident, you definitely could have fooled me. I was also shocked how well priced everything was. Coming from northern Virginia where bottles often start in the low 20s and often go higher, it was a pleasant surprise to see well-made reds in the under $20 range.

Viognier: Crisp, apricot notes.

Chardonnel: Light oak, very nice

Traminette: Also apricot, but more of a full bodied white.

Muscat: Specifically, “Golden Muscat”, a sub-variety of the Muscat family. At 4% sugar this is most definitely a sweet wine.

Vidal Blanc: While it has 1% sugar it almost fooled me into thinking it was a dry wine.

Cabernet Franc: Very unusual for a Franc but I liked it a lot (and bought a bottle). Almost raspberry notes, with some spice. Very nice wine.

Syrah: One of a handful of Syrahs in Virginia. Spicy, definitely a good steak wine.

Pineapple: Served in a package. Good porch sipping wine that is good for a sangria base.

After hanging out at Hickory Hill for a bit, I got the vibe that this is one of those establishments where the atmosphere and camaraderie is just as important as what’s served at the bar. Located on the north side of Smith Mountain Lake, Hickory is a 1920-s era house converted into a winery. Visiting here is a bit like stepping back in time, as you’re surrounded by farm country, southern charm, and wine instead of mint julips.

Wendy Furrow was my server – and Hickory Hill’s wine maker. She told me how her dad Roger Furrow planted the vineyard in 1992 and opened as a full winery in 2001. As the tasting bar got crowded her dad took over my tasting and history lesson, starting with how he got into wine in the first place.

See, Roger was serving in the Army when he was ordered to inventory the Officer’s Club’s wine cellar. As he tells the story you can almost get a visual of him dusting off these bottles with odd French labels, scratching his head while wondering “What does this taste like? Where does it come from?”. That curiosity grew, so when he ‘retired’ he started a winery.

Of course ‘retirement’ and ‘winery’ are two words that are totally in opposition to one another, as operating a vineyard is a tough job (but somebody’s gotta do it). Now Hickory has 4 acres of vines, including Vidal, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and makes 600 cases/year.

One thing that immediately struck me was how well-aged their reds are. Virginia wineries often struggle to have anything more than 2-3 years old on the tasting menu. But here, seeing 2013 vintages was shocking. Special kudos for planting Cabernet Sauvignon; it’s tough to ripen up elsewhere in Virginia but they are doing a good job of it here.

What I tried.

2018 Full Pond: Chardonnay blend, with a tiny bit of Vidal. Clean and Crisp.

2017 Chardonnay: Made in French Oak, which gave it nice toasty-ness. This went down way to easily.

“Lake Mist” blend (Chardonnay and Vidal): Semi sweet, porch sipping wine.

2013 Cabernet Franc: Very nice, and had a softness to it that likely came with age. Still had noticeable tannin.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon: Rustic as opposed to soft, while retaining good tannin.

Smith Mountain Lake Country Red: Stainless steel Cab & Merlot blend.

Smith Mountain Lake Redbud (Rose-style): Chardonnay and Cabernet blend. A little heavy by Rose standards, but I like my roses that way so this was actually a plus.

Smith Mountain Lake Sunset (Vidal): Sweet desert-style wine. Reminiscent of ice wine. Crisp and well balanced.

Smith Mountain Lake Sweet Red Sail. Sweet red blend that was Cab-heavy. Good all-purpose wine for sweet and dry wine drinkers.

Thanks to Wendy and Roger for the chat!

Brooks Mill is one of the least pretentious wineries I’ve ever visited. Located in a suburban neighborhood, its tasting room/production area is a converted garage next to the owner’s home. If the ‘winery’ is closed no worries – just ring the outdoor bell and someone will be with you shortly.

Co-owner Rhonda Page was my server; her husband is the wine maker. She explained how he loved blackberry wine so much he decided to make it himself; the hobby expanded from there. Now Brooks Mill (named after an old local landmark) has been open 10 years and produce all sorts of fruit wines – not just blackberry!

Rhonda explained a lot of their business comes from tourists visiting Smith Mountain Lake, although they are also active on the local festival circuit. Almost on cue a small party came in and sure enough – they were out-of-towners having fun at the lake’s campgrounds and beaches, and stopped here for a few bottles.

All the wine made at Brooks Mill is from fruit; not a single ‘grape’ wine was in sight. Almost all the fruit they use is local, with the blackberries coming from their own property.

Fruit wine has a reputation for being sweet, but I found my samples to be a mix of dry, sweet, and everything in between.

For the 100% fruit wines, I liked the semi-sweet plumb the best; it reminded me of a plumb-based desert. But the sweet blueberry and peach wines were also nice. Rhonda recommended the former with ice cream, and the later tasted exactly like the fruit it came from.

They also had a blend of Chambourcin and blueberry, made in a dry style. Actually this combo works well, as Chambourcin is naturally fruity already. But the sangria was by far my favorite of the trip. Made with maraschino cherries and Gatorade, they sell ‘kits’ for making this at home.

For such a tiny place, I really enjoyed my visit to Brooks. Fruit wine isn’t something I’d have all the time, but when it’s hot out I’d be happy go get a bottle from here.

As soon as you walk into Preston Ridge, you realize this is a local hangout joint. A slushy machine is right behind the bar, and wine supplies hang off the far wall like you’d expect to see at a hardware store. This place isn’t fancy, but like most watering holes it doesn’t pretend to be.

Lawrence Penn is the wine maker. As descendant of a long line of bootleggers, he proudly (if jokingly) says he’s the first ‘legal’ winemaker in his family line. But he honed his trade by using homemaking wine (and beer) sets, so I guess bootlegging is in his blood.

Given his previous job was in demolition, he probably didn’t plan to be a winery owner. When he told me how he got started I had to chuckle; demolition man to wine maker? I’ve heard of plenty of interesting backgrounds in Virginia’s wine industry, but that was definitely a first!

Preston Ridge makes 600-2500 cases of wine a year and leases 4 acres of vines. But he sources fruit anywhere he can, including California. A considerable amount of his wine aren’t even from grapes; I tried a lot of fruit wine during my visit. Lawrence explained a lot of locals make their own wine, so this allows him to cater to the local palate. Sourcing from multiple places also allowed him to have an expansive lineup.

For those who visit this area, you’ve likely tasted their wines at local festivals – that seems their bread & butter. Lawrence and his daughter went through a full tasting with me while other patrons dropped by for their own libations.

For grape wines, I found I especially liked the 2016 Chambourcin, which was dark and almost chocolaty. But the steel fermented Chardonnay was also light and refreshing.

But my favorites were the fruit wines. The Strawberry reminded me of a strawberry ice cream! But my very favorite was the apple wine, which was lightly oaked and had cinnamon notes. I think any of these would be welcome during a warm day (or even a not so warm day!).

I went into this trip with the full intention of treating all my wine visits equally. After all, there’s SOMETHING good to be said about everyplace I visited, even if it’s not the style of wine that I drink. I’m an advocate for ‘drink what you like’, so if you like hybrids and/or sweet wine – go for it!

But I have an admission: Hamlet was my favorite of this trip.

Hamlet has two big things going for them; an excellent vineyard that’s focused on vinifera…and Michael Shaps. Combine the two, and you have a clear winner.

Butch and Virginia Hamlet got into wine making the traditional Virginia way – by accident. They already owned 300 acres of land, so they decided they may as well put it to productive use. I suppose having a love of wine was another motivation, since despite not having a background in agriculture they chose to open a vineyard.

But the Hamlets bonded with their vineyard, as nobody wants to sell grapes that they invested so much time in growing. By happy accident one year Chateau Morrisette didn’t purchase Hamlet’s crop, so they sought the assistance of Michael Shaps to turn their grapes into wine. Now Hamlet makes estate wine out of its 5 acres of grapes – mostly vinifera.

I asked about Hamlet’s partnership with Shaps, and Virginia was a huge advocate of his custom crush program. Hamlet’s wines are 100% estate, and Shaps definitely knows what to do with them. Since Virginia knows her customers’ palates, she and Michael are able to collaborate on the styles that best suit Hamlet’s needs. That partnership has definitely worked out well; their 2016 Eltham made its way to the 2017 Virginia’s Governor’s Case, and having tried the entire Case lineup I thought it was one of the best of the bunch.

The tasting room is small and cozy. They have a small patio with pull down walls that has served them well for years, but that should be replaced in the future with something more durable. Given their location, I thought it was just the right amount of space.

Hamlet is only open on Sundays. That’s an unusual decision but one that makes sense for them, given how many Saturday evenings Hamlet’s space is rented out for events. I definitely got the feeling this was a popular watering hole, although being open all weekend might dilute the crowd for both days.

Despite that, Virginia was kind enough to allow me to visit her on a Saturday. I got to try the entire lineup of wines while she went over the business.

Pinot Gris: Light, refreshing, with citrus notes.

Viognier: Honey-ish notes. Also sharp and dry, without the perfume nose that I often find.

“Bottle Blond”: Sweet wine made with Pinot Gris/Vidal/Chardonel. Local favorite. Virginia explained it took a while for Hamlet to introduce a sweet wine into their repertoire as they didn’t want to have a reputation as a sweet-wine focused winery, but there was so much demand eventually they gave in.

Rose (Merlot): Merlot is a workhorse for their vineyard. Strawberry notes; just barely off dry. A good compromise that can satisfy sweet and dry wine drinkers.

“Old Virginia Red”: Soft red; also bridges the gap between sweet and dry wine drinkers. Fruity; can be chilled. It sorta reminded me of a sangria.

2016 Cabernet Sauvignon: Light, bramble fruit notes.

2016 Petit Verdot: Smokey!

2015 Eltham: Very yummy…soft fruit notes.

2016 Eltham (50/50 Petit Verdot and Merlot): Sooooo gooooooooood…and a worthy edition to the 2019 Virginia Governor’s Case competition. Very good complexity, very smooth.

“VA Vino” Sparking viognier. Fun, festive sparkling wine.

A special shout-out goes to their cans of Pinot Gris!

Beliveau is the quintessential place to get away from town to enjoy the view while drinking adult beverages. While only 45 minutes from Roanoke, my GPS signal almost gave up on me as this area is definitely rural, given its location at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you’re into ending your hike with adult beverages, this is your place.

I called ahead and was told I could meet up with their winemaker, Derek Gassler. Derek gave me the low-down of the vineyard, starting with how they first planted in 2009 and progressively added more after that. He seemed especially proud how as of 2018 they had finally become 100% estate-grown and for the first time were selling fruit – an uncommon feature in Virginia.

At 3-5000 cases/year this is still a small operation; Beliveau’s wines are rare outside the winery itself. Derek said he made their wine in what he called “High Mountain” style – light and low tannin. Their 12 acres of vines were 60%/40% split between hybrids and vinifera, sitting anywhere between 2100-2500 feet. While I’m don’t style myself an expert, this seemed like an especially good place for wine growing.

Wine isn’t the only thing on the menu. Derek wasn’t just a winemaker; he was a brewer. That’s right – Beliveau is about to join a growing trend of hybrid winery/brewery operations. If that’s not enough they are a Bed & Breakfast, plus they do a lot of events. Suffice to say, there’s a lot going on here.

After chatting about the vineyard I made my down to their outside tasting bar where Bob poured my wine. We chatted a bit as I enjoyed the view outside. He seemed just as thrilled as I was that Derek authorized him to open a bottle of their Petit Verdot, which definitely seemed to be on his ‘must drink after work’ list.

What I tried:

2016/2017 Destiny (Vidal): Both were quite nice, with the 2016 being more citrusy.

2017 Afternoon Delight (50/50 Chardonnel/Vidal): Lightly oaked and bright notes.

2015 Mystique (Chardonnay): Unoaked. Nutty and very sharp.

Reflection (Traminette): Floral nose, maybe lemon on my palate?

2017 Crown Jewel: Derek’s current favorite; an off dry Traminette/Vidal blend. Very crisp and clean.

2016 Pristine (Chardonnel): Apple notes; I’m finding I’m really starting to like Chardonnel (including this one) despite my usual apathy towards most hybrids.

Rose: Definite cranberry notes.

2017 Trailblazer (Merlot): Smokey!

2016 A Capallela: Fruit forward but still peppery. It’s a red blend but I suspect it’s Cabernet Franc heavy.

Fireside Chat (Cab Franc): Light and peppery.

2016 Soul Singer (Chambourcin): Cherry forward

Warm Glow (Chambourcin): This couldn’t be more different than the Soul Singer; semi sweet, kinda reminded me of melted chocolate in a good way.

******DRUM ROLL******

2017 Petit Verdot (with a tad bit of Tempranillo): Outstanding! Just enough pepper to make me happy but not overwhelming.

I don’t know what it is about southern Virginia that attracts self-made winemakers who set up shop on practically their front yard. Maybe retirement just isn’t for some people. Or maybe the passion for wine just runs that strong. But whatever the reason, the wine bug definitely hit the owners of Spinning Jenny.

Jenny planted its vineyard in 2015 and opened to the public in early 2019. After some helpful suggestions from their neighbors at Iron Heart and Giles wineries, owners Curtis and Jenny decided to plant an acre of grapes – some hybrids but also Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, even some Cab Sauv. Well, if you’re going to own a winery, you may as well pant things you like, because you’re going to be your own #1 customer!

On the face of it neither of them had winemaking experience prior to this venture. That said they did have something going for them – Jennifer is an infection control nurse. You’d think these fields are totally different, but I’d disagree. Maintaining a vineyard in Virginia is all about disease control. What ails the grapes? When to spray? What to spray? I suspect Jennifer came to this field better prepared than she thought.

The tasting room is on the edge of their property, right off of I-81. It’s not a big place but doesn’t need to be. Some visitors are simply looking for a way stop, others are locals looking for a get-away.

The wines were almost universally soft and light, especially the whites. I especially liked the 2018 Chardonnay; nice mouthfeel, made in a Chablis style. But the 2018 Viognier was good too, especially considering what a wet year it was.

If you’re a red drinker, have no fear – they also have a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon/Chambourcin blend (80%/20%) which is probably best served chilled. Since Jenny is low on their own reds they are supplemented by bottles from Iron Heart. I especially like Iron Heart’s Cabernet Franc, which I purchased a bottle of when I visited them last year (it ended up with mom).

Fun facts – a “Spinning Jenny” is a fencing tool used to spool out wire. They are also in the running for smallest winery in Virginia, with a production of under 100 cases. While the production may grow, I really hope it never loses its homey vibe.