Eden Oaks Vineyard: A Century-Old Tobacco Farm Reborn
In 2014, Roy and Sandra Lowe bought a vacant, century-old farm property near Ronda, North Carolina, not knowing it would become a vineyard. The house dates to 1910 and had been a working tobacco farm for generations — the original tobacco barn, corn crib, smoke house and stable barn are all still standing on the property. It was their son Todd who first pointed out the obvious while they worked on the front porch: “Mom, do you realize you’ve purchased a vineyard?” Sitting inside the Swan Creek AVA, the land made sense for grapes, and Roy planted the first vines in 2015.
The name Eden Oaks honors two things at once: the Lowes’ granddaughter, Eden, and the many century-old oak trees scattered across the property. It is very much a family operation — son Todd, his fiancée April, and grandchildren Andrew, Eden and Amber are all part of running the place, alongside a herd of goats the family affectionately calls their “furry weed eaters” and a line of Beagle and Jack-A-Bee dogs the Lowes breed and raise on-site.
The Vineyard and What’s Growing at Eden Oaks
Eden Oaks describes itself candidly as a “labor of love” and a “work in progress.” The property is planted with grapevines alongside elderberries, fruit trees, roses and herbs, and Roy is happy to walk guests through the vineyard and explain what’s growing and how the different varieties are coming along. The family is currently working toward opening an on-site wine and antique shop — it isn’t open yet, so this isn’t a tasting-room stop in the traditional sense, but a working vineyard-in-progress with real Yadkin Valley history behind it.
What is open and running today is Fireside Espresso, a coffee business Todd and April started on the property, serving coffee, cappuccino, frappes, iced lattes and lattes to visitors relaxing among the vines.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 3145 Mathis Mill Road, Ronda, NC 28670
Location: two miles off US Highway 421, nine miles off Interstate 77
Because Eden Oaks doesn’t yet have a public tasting room, the best way to visit is to call ahead at (336) 984-4434 and schedule your stop — the family also hosts live music and front-porch karaoke for special groups on occasion. The property has two RV campsites with 50-amp service and water, plus six tent sites, all with fire pits, picnic tables and firewood provided (additional RV sites and a dump station are in the works), and the whole property is family and pet friendly, with walking trails through the woods to a spring box and the creek.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: this is best treated as a scenic, historic add-on to a Yadkin Valley day — a chance to walk a real working vineyard, see century-old tobacco farm buildings, meet the goats, and grab a coffee from Fireside Espresso — rather than a wine-tasting stop. Call ahead before building it into your itinerary, and budget 45 minutes to an hour for the visit.
Where Eden Oaks Fits in Your Tour Route
Eden Oaks sits in the Swan Creek AVA near Ronda, close to several well-known Yadkin Valley wineries — by the family’s own estimate, Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery, Piccione Vineyards, Midnight Magdalena Vineyards, and several others are all within 15–20 minutes. That makes Eden Oaks an easy, scenic stop to add onto a day built around those tasting rooms rather than a stand-alone destination.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery for your tasting-room stops, plus drive time, and treat Eden Oaks as a shorter add-on rather than one of your full 90-minute stops given its current work-in-progress status.
Wine Tour Transportation to Eden Oaks Vineyard
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Eden Oaks Vineyard from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Eden Oaks Vineyard trip-planning page covers drive times, visiting hours, group sizes and pricing.
Travel in a luxury SUV, sedan, or Sprinter van with a professional chauffeur — everyone in your group gets to relax, nobody has to drive. We only charge from pickup to your last drop-off, and every tour includes a complimentary cooler with ice and water. Plan your Eden Oaks Vineyard visit or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Raffaldini Vineyards · Piccione Vineyards · Midnight Magdalena Vineyards — or browse all 54 Yadkin Valley wineries we provide transportation to.
Explore More from Ashe County Livery
- Yadkin Valley Wine Tours — Explore NC’s premier wine region
- High Country Wine Tours — Mountain winery service
- Wedding Transportation — Luxury transportation for your big day
- Airport Transfers — CLT, AVL, GSO & TRI
- Request a free quote — or call (336) 484-1350
🍷 Planning a Wine Tour in the NC High Country?
Ashe County Livery offers private, luxury wine tour transportation throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. Skip the driving and let our professional chauffeurs take you from winery to winery in comfort and style.
Serving Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Boone, and all NC High Country destinations • (336) 484-1350
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