Ox-Eye Vineyards

July 12, 2025.  The city of Staunton* is worth visiting for many reasons – the Blackfriars Playhouse, the Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace and museum, and Ox-Eye Vineyards.

Taking the name of the daisy that grows in the vineyard, John and Susan Kiers purchased  land for their vineyard in 1996 and soon after began growing grapes for sale to other growers and wine producers.  Their 26-acre vineyard is 8.5 miles out of town in the Augusta County community of Swope.  The vineyard is at an elevation of 1,830 feet with slopes facing east and southeast.  They are blessed with cool temperatures, low rainfall and deep limestone soils that we find in Shenandoah Valley.  John and their daughter, Harriet Kiers Keogh, share vineyard manager and winemaker responsibilities with John primarily responsible for the still wines and Harriet responsible for the sparkling wines.  They produce about 2,700 or 2,800 cases of wine a year, all of which is estate-grown at Swope.  A significant portion of the harvest is sold to other wineries. 

Our information was from Susan Kiers who took the time to write me with the details even though she had just suffered a death in the family.  Our thoughts are with Susan and her family.

The public face of Ox-Eye Vineyards is the tasting room in Staunton’s downtown Wharf District. You’ll find it snugly tucked-in beside the embankment for the Virginia Scenic Railway.  

This location makes sense because the 1904 building was a “scale house” that used to weigh the coal being shipped from Staunton.  The Wharf District is a congested area of narrow streets and boutiques, but there is a nice parking lot across the street from the tasting room.  We managed to find a space even on a Saturday morning with a farmer’s market going on. 

Most of the first floor is devoted to product displays and the tasting bar and one feels that it could be easily be overrun by visitors.  Nevertheless, they managed to have a small seating area downstairs where leather furniture, light woods, and accents gave a sense of respite from the hot morning and bustle outside.  (There were a couple of folding chairs outside, but the day was too hot to sit there.)  Jeannie was managing the tasting room on our visit.  Thanks to her for looking after us. 

  

If you have more than four or five in your group, you should go up to the second floor where you’ll find an open space for meetings or gatherings looking out over the district.  Unfortunately, I don’t believe there is an elevator to the second floor.

 

Here’s what we tried:

Daily Bubbles (NV).  Jeannie started us with a Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine made with Grüner Veltliner and Riesling in a 50/50 split.  Very dry high quality sekt-style.  A good palate cleanser.  I give it a B.

2021 Chardonnay.  Kim gave this Chardonnay an A rating and bought a bottle.  It started in stainless but finished in oak, which Kim enjoyed.  Crisp green apple that goes well with chicken and seafood.  It was reasonably priced, too.

2022 Riesling.  The Ox-Eye Riesling is off-dry with 1.1% Residual Sugar.  Medium-to-full bodied.  Has some creaminess.  B+.

2021 Scale House Reserve.  This is another Riesling, using grapes from a higher elevation in the vineyard.  Dry and medium-bodied.  Citrus puckering high acid.  B. 

2022 Grü-V.  Kim also gave the Ox-Eye Grüner Veltiner an A rating.  More vegetal and complex than the other white wines on the menu.  Dry and medium-bodied.  The tasting notes say this wine is unfiltered – if that matters to you. 

2023 Pinot Noir.  The Pinot Noir is medium-bodied but with a light presentation.  Red berry and spice.  Light tannins.  Some sweetness on the finish.  B.

2022 Lemberger.  Cherry fruit and black pepper.  Medium-body.  Lots of stuff going on.  Good red meat wine that should age well.  I rated it a B+ and bought bottle.

2022 Cabernet Franc.  A little sweetness detected at the start.  Jammy currants.  Well-balanced tannins.  I gave it a strong B.

2023 Vallitage.  Ox-Eye’s first red blend is a nod to wines made under the auspices of the Meritage Alliance.  But instead of classic Bordeaux varietals, Jeannie told us that Vallitage is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 35% Lemberger, and 25% Saperavi.  This is a good full-bodied wine with balanced tannin and hints of chocolate or cocoa.  B+.

It’s nice having a tasting room downtown where you can take a break from shopping at the glass blower studio across the street or the other stores and eateries of the Wharf and cool your jets over a nice wine.  One does not always have to be on the farm.

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*Locals say “Stanton” like "Stan" in Stan and Ollie.  No self-respecting local pronounces the “u.”