Narmada Winery — Attraction in Warrenton

Another winner along the 211 corridor between Warrenton and New Market (you could make a weekend trip of visiting the wineries along this corridor - get your cabin, B&B or AirBNB reservation in Washington, VA, Sperryville, or Luray). The owner and winemaker are from India so the location has an Indian culture vibe, from the names of the wines to the food they offer. Chambourcin seems to be their star varietal and they use it in several blends, as well as stand alone wines (both dry and off-dry). Every wine is a winner, including unusual (for Virginia) varietals like Tannat. I am not usually an off-dry wine person, but I always go for the "Midnight," a mainly dry (until a slightly sweeter finish) version of Chambourcin. A lot of room inside and out. Well priced wines, too. A tasting (usually including a few bonus samples depending on what bottles are open on a particular day), a glass or bottle to enjoy, and one or two to bring home will not break the bank. Other wineries to check out along this stretch of highway: Gray Ghost, Magnolia Winery, Gadino Cellars, Sharp Rock Vineyards, Little Washington Winery/Skyline Vineyards (on the east side of the National Park) and Wisteria and Castle (on the west side...

Visited this winery last Saturday because 1) they do a very good job of marketing their beautiful property. Their website shows a very lavish expanse and indeed it's very nice scenery to enjoy. 2) Was intrigued by the Indian-inspired infusion in the winery from the owners.

Unfortunately the experience itself missed the mark. Nice property but they assigned seating rather than let us pick where we want to sit. More substantively, the tasting flight was waaaaay overpriced. $15 for six wines. Literally three times the price vs. the winery across the street ($5 for six wine tastings there). Moreover, the tastings were served in plastic to-go containers (think ketchup containers at fast food places, but smaller) on a paper plate. I know COVID precautions were being taken, but there are better ways to do safe tastings than that. Made for an off-putting experience. I hear they have good food but we didn't stick around to try. The woman who served us the wines said that the owner is looking to sell - she is more interested in wine-making than running a business....

You could argue that I'm overly excited about the fact that there's a winery in the area run by Indian Americans, which is rare, but that doesn't even begin to explain why I love this place so much. First of all, this winery is part of the wine pass that lets you get two flights of six wines each for $10 total -- an absolute steal. They have a wide variety of white and red wines, and many of their wines have won both national and international awards. I'll admit that I'm not super wine savvy, but I was really impressed and appreciative of the people working at the winery you were able to explain the various options to me. I also love the idea of pairing wines with common Indian dishes, which to me really brought together the winery with the heritage of the owners. The land of the winery sits on is absolutely massive and the deck provides a beautiful view of the vineyard. There is also an event area with a gazebo that is super picturesque. If you can help it, get the Cab Franc Reserve 2014 which is one of the best bottles of red I've ever had....