Ramulose Ridge Vineyards
Located in Moneta, Bedford County, about an hour south of Lynchburg and on the north side of Smith Mountain Lake. Jim and Sandi Ramaker developed an interest in winemaking after tinkering with kit wines in their basement in North Carolina almost twenty years ago. Sandi went on to attend U.C. Davis for enology when they relocated to Hong Kong for Jim’s work. She took her classes online while they lived abroad. On retirement they bought an old farmhouse on a 100-acre property near to renowned Smith Mountain Lake. The name “Ramulose” for the location apparently means “having many branches.” Work on the vineyard started in 2004, and the winery opened its doors in 2013, with Sandi as the winemaker. Jim and Sandi’s son Mitchell, who is married to a native Smith Laker, manages the vineyard.
Wine. Tier III. In their only appearance to date at the Virginia Governor’s Cup state-wide wine competition, in 2019, Ramulose Ridge wines were awarded five Bronze Medals: for the Chardonnel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Vidal and Robusto. The wine list includes Vidal Blanc, Chardonel, Viognier, Traminette, Muscat, Blush, Syrah, Chambourcin, Cab Franc, Malbec, plus several sweet and semi-sweet blends. All grapes are estate-grown. Separate tastings can be had for sweet or dry wines, a good value at $5 a tasting. Unusually, one can find some of Ramulose Ridge’s wines across the state in Virginia ABC stores.
Setting. Two stars. Ramulose Ridge has a beautiful hilltop location, witha relaxed tasting patio with breathtaking mountain views of the countryside and mountains. As one reviewer wrote, “if only they could bottle the view.” Service at the winery gets many marks for its friendliness. Many vacationers from Smith Mountain Lake make it an afternoon destination. The large venue is also used for weddings and other events.
Stories. Making wine from kits. Ramulose Ridge’s website will tell you something unusual about the origins of winemaking at Ramulose Ridge. Jim and Sandi Ramaker got their start making wines… in their basement. Definitely not a story you hear from too many winemakers – but who knows, this may change. Making wine from kits got started in the 1970s, and has really taken off. One estimate from Canada states that now over 10% of all wine consumed in the country comes from home winemakers. The continuing boom in home wine making has been great business for wine-kit producers, and as a result the quality of kit-made wines is improving significantly. The do-it-at-home approach, besides offering first-time winemakers an easy introduction to the hobby, also offer a chance to makes wines from grape-growing regions around the world. High-quality varietal wine kits are available nationwide at any time of the year, sourced from vineyards in California, Australia, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and other classic wine areas. You can also find kits for interesting styles, like late-harvest wines, ice wines, noble-rot wines, even sparkling wines, ports and sherries. Labor is enough to feel like you’ve accomplished enough, without being too taxing. Not that we recommend it in Virginia, with all the great wine being made in the state these days. After all, when Jim and Sandi played with wine kits in their basement, they weren’t living in Virginia, but in North Carolina. That’s more understandable.