River Stone's strategy for survival

Photo: River Stone's Ted Cane

Few small wineries were as hard hit by the January 2024 freeze as River Stone Estate Winery, just north of Oliver. “After months of observation and analysis,” co-proprietor and winemaker Ted Kane wrote recently, “we concluded that not only did the freeze impact our entire crop from 2024, but there was evidence of long-term damage affecting between 40% and 95% of vines, depending on varietal and vineyard site.”

Anyone but Ted might have walked away from the business. In the 2020 edition of The Okanagan Wine Tour Guide, I noted how determined he was to be a winery owner in the first place: “The winery is owned by Ted and Lorraine Kane. Born in Edmonton in 1962, Ted was so focussed on wine growing that he grew grapes in a greenhouse there just to learn how. He and Lorraine, now a family physician, moved to Oliver in 2002 to plant a three -hectare (seven-acre) vineyard on land that, for all of its excellent viticultural qualities, had been fallow for 30 years.”

Instead of shutting the business down, Ted writes that: “We took action to ensure River Stone remained resilient. We planned for short-term and long-term solutions to allow us to continue our work as wine sellers and producers in the South Okanagan.” The long-term solution has involved replanting five of the seven acres of the River Rock Vineyard (the original vineyard) and six of the nine acres at the nearby Boulder City Vineyard (more recently acquired by River Stone). Many of the original varietals have been replanted; a few have been replaced.

River Stone’s short-term solution, like that of many of its peers, was to source grapes for the 2024 vintage from Washington State. “We partnered with growers … choosing vineyards that share our terroir and commitment to quality,” Ted continues. “This collaboration has allowed us to create a 2024 vintage of wines we are incredibly proud of. … We’ve named this collection Good Neighbours, a tribute to the camaraderie and partnership within our industry.”

It is obvious that River Stone’s newly planted vines will not produce grapes this fall. Ted writes that “2025 may bring another vintage sourced from Washington [but] we look forward to returning to estate fruit as our vineyards recover.”

The debut Good Neighbours collection consists of four white wines. They are, in my judgment, absolutely top quality, as I have come to expect from River Stone. Here are my notes.

River Stone Splash Good Neighbours 2024 ($23.90 for 361 cases). This is a blend of equal parts of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are from two Washington AVAs: Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke. The fruit was fermented cool with selected yeasts. This delicious blend is fruit salad in a glass, with aromas and flavours of apples and citrus fruits. 92.

River Stone Good Neighbours Chenin Blanc 2024 ($25.90 for 208 cases). The grapes are from Washington’s Wahluke Slope AVA. This is a luscious wine, with aromas and flavours of peaches, pears and citrus. The texture is full and the finish is long. 92.

River Stone Good Neighbours Sauvignon Blanc 2024 ($25.90 for 266 cases; plus 80 cases in 200 ml bottles). The grapes are from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The fruit was fermented cool with select yeast strains. This is a zesty, refreshing wine with aromas and flavours of lime and grapefruit mingled with herbs. The finish is crisp. 92.

River Stone Good Neighbours Unoaked Chardonnay 2024 ($24.90 for 183 cases). The fruit is from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The grapes were fermented and aged in stainless steel. This is a bright wine with flavours of green apples and pears that dance vivaciously on the palate. 9o.