Why you should visit Smith Mountain Lake wineries
This blog post covers the best wineries near Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia State.
Smith Mountain Lake is nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The best Smith Mountain Lake wineries reflect the area’s easygoing attitude and rural charm.
The Smith Mountain Lake area is known for its natural beauty and amazing recreational activities. The Smith Mountain Lake State Park offers camping, picnicking, and hiking.
Vacationers come from all over the country to enjoy water sports, boating, and fishing. In fact the lake is one of Virginia’s premier fisheries.
But fishing is thirsty work as some of you know. And what better way to slake your thirst than with a glass of Virginia wine!
The wineries on this list are located around the lake, which makes them the perfect addition to your relaxing weekend getaway.
How to access Smith Mountain Lake wineries
Smith Mountain Lake is within driving distance of Raleigh, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and Washington D.C. This makes it perfect for a quick weekend getaway.
The lake is a two hours drive north of Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s a four hour drive southwest of Washington D.C. And Richmond, Virginia is just under three hours away by car.
This reservoir is equidistant from the towns of Lynchburg and Roanoke (in the Roanoke region). In fact Roanoke, Virginia is a short one hour drive from Smith Mountain Lake.
Residents of Bedford County and Franklin County can easily visit the Smith Mountain Lake wineries on this list.
If you already live in the South then you can definitely drive to Smith Mountain Lake. If you’re from outside the South then you should fly into one of the major neighboring cities, rent a car, and drive to Smith Mountain Lake.
Which Smith Mountain Lake wineries to visit for a wine tasting
Fables & Feathers Winery (Goodview, VA)
Fables & Feathers Winery is a true family-owned winery.
In 2020 the Luedtke family found a winery for sale in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Parents Pam and Tom plus their son Adam and his wife Genny jumped at the opportunity. The rest is history.
Fables & Feathers Winery crafts a variety of white wines, red wines, and sweet wines. The Chardonnay, Traminette, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot wines are all made from estate grown grapes.
Sweet wine lovers will appreciate Fables & Feathers Winery. They offer five sweet wines, including a wine made from Rkatsiteli grapes.
Rkatsiteli, one of the oldest grape varieties in the world, originally hails from Georgia (the country, not the state!). Their Chambourcin grapes produce a wine with sweet cherry pie flavors and the sweet rosé “tastes like Jolly Ranchers.”
They currently offer wine flights, which include samples of four different wines. The “fledgling size” flight features 1.5 ounce pours for $8. The full flight has 3 ounce pours for $14.
During the summer you can find Fables & Feathers Winery at the Bedford Farmers Market. I love a good farmer’s market, don’t you? You can buy all the fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, and local Virginia wine you need in one place.
Hickory Hill Vineyards (Moneta, VA)
Hickory Hill Vineyards makes wine exclusively from Virginia grown grapes. Their Smith Mountain Lake Series tastes like lake summer in a glass.
There’s a semi-dry blend of Vidal Blanc and Chardonnay, a dry red wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, and a semi-sweet Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
Two sweet dessert wines round off the series. There’s a port style red wine and a sweet Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc blend they describe as their “cheesecake and breakfast wine.”
This family-owned winery also makes traditional wines like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.
And did I mention they’re the oldest winery in the Smith Mountain Lake area? The Furrow family founded Hickory Hill Vineyards in 1992 and their tasting room is housed in an historic 1923 farmhouse.
During the summer Hickory Hill Vineyards is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1-5 PM. They’re always open for curbside pickup and local delivery.
If you’re staying at a lakehouse on Smith Mountain Lake and need an emergency delivery of wine, never fear – Hickory Hill Vineyards is here!
Delivery is free if you live within 20 minutes of the winery and if you purchased a minimum of four bottles. If you live outside that range they’ll still deliver for a small fee.
Ramulose Ridge Vineyards (Moneta, VA)
Ramulose Ridge Vineyards is a thriving winery with three locations throughout Virginia.
Their Smith Mountain Lake area tasting room is located in Moneta, Virginia. During the summer the tasting room is open seven days a week beginning at noon.
Ramulose Ridge Vineyards crafts a selection of dry red wines, dry white wines, and semi sweet wines. Grapes such as Vidal Blanc, Traminette, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Muscat, and Chambourcin make up their wines.
They also sell house-made sangria in flavors such as Peach, Mango, Strawberry, and Pomegranate.
Their Moneta tasting room serves wine flights, wine by the glass, and wine by the bottle. If you’re feeling hungry, order the cheese trays or cookies.
P.S. Ramulose Ridge Vineyards’ newest winery tasting room is located in the Wharf district of Downtown Staunton, Virginia. The wine bar features an outdoor patio area, an interior lounge area, sleek high tops, and chic sofas.
Other businesses to try in the Smith Mountain Lake area
The Smith Mountain Lake is home to a few other businesses you may want to try.
The Peaks of Otter Winery is located in Bedford, Virginia. Peaks of Otter Winery is open everyday during the summer. Wine tastings feature eight samples for $8. The winery shares land with Johnson’s Orchards, which sells apple cider donuts, fresh unpasteurized cider, wine slushies, and cider slushies.
Brooks Mill Winery makes fruit wine in Wirtz, Virginia in Franklin County. Although they’re known for blackberry wine they also make blueberry, plum, peach, and pear fruit wines.
Wind Vineyards is a winery based in Tappahannock, Virginia. They are planning to open a second location near Smith Mountain Lake. Their new winery location will be built on 60 acres of land off of Moneta Road. Keep your eyes peeled for updates.
P.S. The Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival will kick off from September 28-29, 2024. Festival goers are sure to enjoy great Virginia wineries, talented artisan vendors, food vendors, and lots of live music. If you’re interested check out the SML Wine Festival website.
Similar wine regions to explore
Other Southeastern wineries to explore
If you’re interested in drinking more Southern wine then look no further than the Carolinas.
Elkin, North Carolina is a tiny town nestled in the Blue Ridge foothills beside the Yadkin River. Elkin is a little under three hours drive from Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Our list of the best wineries in Elkin, North Carolina showcases the best family-owned wineries located in Elkin and just outside of town.
Greenville is a small city nestled against the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina. Greenville has its share of fun wineries that make delicious Southern wine. We cover the best wine bars and wineries Greenville SC offers both inside and outside city limits.
Blue Ridge, Georgia is known for its stunning natural scenery. There’s plenty of hiking, views, waterfalls, and wineries. And what better way to end your day than with a glass of wine! The best wineries Blue Ridge GA offers reflect the town’s charm and southern hospitality.
Lakeside wine destinations in the United States
Egg Harbor is one of the best small towns in America. It has a beautiful waterfront, lovely art galleries, and quaint orchards. The town of Egg Harbor is located in Door County, which Travel + Leisure magazine nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” It’s no surprise that these Egg Harbor wineries offer a little slice of heaven.
Put-in-Bay is a quaint village on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. It’s accessible only by boat and by plane. These two Put-in-Bay wineries aren’t merely wineries, they are attractions.
Petoskey, Michigan offers two of the finer things in life: lake days and wineries. Petoskey is located on the southern shore of Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The best wineries Petoskey MI offers are all covered in our blog post. Enjoy!
Waconia, Minnesota is situated west of the Twin Cities. Lake Waconia is much smaller than the Great Lakes, but Waconia wineries still provide lake views and local wine. What’s not to like?
And if you’re willing to venture outside the Midwest why not visit the Finger Lakes region of New York? The Finger Lakes offer dozens of wineries with gorgeous lakeside vineyards. Two of our favorite destinations in the Finger Lakes are Keuka Lake and Penn Yan.
