Slick, juicy, expressive
Founded in 2001 by winemaker Ted Kane, River Stone is a small estate winery located in Oliver BC. It's comprised of two estate vineyards focusing primarily on Bordeaux-varieties and aromatic whites; the tasting room was opened in 2010.
Like many Okanagan wineries, hit hard by a disastrous widespread cold snap in 2024, River Stone reach out to our neighbours to the south in Washington and Oregon to source fruit to make wine. River Stone selected grapes from Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope in Washington State. I'm always game for a good Chenin and this one is simply lovely. Expect a fruit-cup of aromas like melon, peach and pear along with honey and citrus blossoms. It's just as pretty in the mouth; expressive, slick and juicy with great structure and just a kiss of sweetness.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 3rd, 2025

Toasty, zesty, fresh.
Founded in 2001 by winemaker Ted Kane, River Stone is a small estate winery located in Oliver BC. It's comprised of two estate vineyards focusing primarily on Bordeaux-varieties and aromatic whites; the tasting room was opened in 2010.
Like many Okanagan wineries, hit hard by a disastrous widespread cold snap in 2024, River Stone reach out to our neighbours to the south in Washington and Oregon to source fruit to make wine. River Stone selected grapes from Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope in Washington State. This Chard has a golden hue with, despite being unoaked, aromas of hazelnuts and toast, yellow apples and lemon, wet stone and vanilla, grilled pineapples and wild herbs. The palate seems toasty as well, with notes echoing the nose alongside fresh melon and Meyer lemon flavours. The finish is zesty.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 3rd, 2025

Slick, fresh, savoury
Thanks to the a destructive cold snap resulting in crop loss and vine damage in 2024, many wineries in the Okanagan sourced fruit from vineyards of our neighbours south of the border. Township 7 sourced fruit from Washington State and California. These wines, made in Canada, are known as the The Interlude Series. This Pinot Gris comes from Lake Chelan in Washington State. It is a peachy-onionskin shade with muted notes of blood oranges, wet stone and lemon balm with slightly nutty undertones. The palate is slick and fresh with bold citrus flavours spiked with peach stone. It has a savoury character overall.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 25th, 2025

Dry, purity, nutty.
Like many wineries in the Okanagan after suffering vine and fruit loss from a destructive cold snap in 2024, Bartier Bros' reached out across the border to source grapes. Their new Pristine label is a series of wines made by Michael Bartier in the Okanagan Valley, from grapes grown in Washington State.
From 40-year-old vines from the Wahluke Slope AVA, this unoaked Chardonnay still delivers nutty hazelnut and toast aromas, which are layered with yellow plum and lemonv verbena. It's a dry and lighter-bodied style, fresh and citrusy with sweet yellow fruit flavours. Lovely purity with a sort of Juicy Fruit gum character.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 25th, 2025

Lup-smacking, racy, verdant.
Founded in 2001 by winemaker Ted Kane, River Stone is a small estate winery located in Oliver BC. It's comprised of two estate vineyards focusing primarily on Bordeaux-varieties and aromatic whites; the tasting room was opened in 2010.
Like many Okanagan wineries, hit hard by a disastrous widespread cold snap in 2024, River Stone reach out to our neighbours to the south in Washington and Oregon to source fruit to make wine. River Stone selected grapes from Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope in Washington State. The Sauvignon Blanc comes from Horse Heaven Hills and Is a racy and verdant version with pineapple and peach, green apple lime and citrus blossom notes. The palate reflects the nose; bold citrus, think grapefruit and lime, is layered with strong peachy flavours. It's juicy and lip-smacking.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 25th, 2025

Fresh, plummy, smooth.
This lovely Syrah (co-fermented with 3% Viognier) was hand-harvested and aged 15 months in French oak barrels to mature.
It has a rich plummy and blackberry scented nose underscored by vanilla, espresso, concord grapes, purple flowers and while pepper. The entry is smooth it has a nice balance of structure and freshness. Medium-bodied with some tannic grip the finish trails tobacco leaf, coffee and pepper flavours.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 12th, 2025

Charming, zesty, quaffable.
Stoneboat makes estate wines from its home vineyard on the Black Sage gravel bar in Oliver. Constructed like a Prosecco, in the charmat (aka cuvee close) method (all fermentation happens in tank) this pretty bubbly comes from 35-year-old estate Pinot Blanc vines.
A charming and zesty bubbly with mid-sized bubbles offering notes of yellow fruit, faint toast, dried pear, field flowers, lemon peel and dried pear with a mineral character. It has a nice mousse-y palate with yellow fruits and citrus with a whiff of herbs and lemon.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 12th, 2025

Juicy, lovely, tangy
Made from Russian River (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir grapes. After harvest, the fruit was immediately destemmed and cold-soaked for 24 hours during transport in refrigerated trucks. After arrival to BC, it went for a gentle press, the juice was fermented slowly at cool temperatures in stainless steel.
This lovely cranberry red wine has a juicy nose of watermelon, cherry, peach stone, sweet herbs and purple flowers. Dry in the mouth is boasts more juicy red fruit flavours (think tangy cranberry and pomegranate) with hints of spice and tealeaf on the finish.
©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 12th, 2025

Stoneboat, on the Black Sage Gravelbar in Oliver, is now owned by Rudy Verhoeff and Kyla Richey, former professional volleyball athletes. They also own Valley Commons, is a winery established in the District Wine Village in Oliver in 2021. Both wineries fall under the Verhoeff Group of Companies, which is headed by Paul Verhoeff, Rudy's father. The family also owns a flooring company, a brewery and restaurants in the Fraser Valley.
However, the grapes for this wine come from Yakima Valley in Washington State. The wine spent 4 months in neutral oak.
Despite the oak being neutral I find it distracting in this wine, it's absorbed more than like for a Gris. It comes through on the nose and the palate, oak soaked pears and smoked dried flowers, grass clippings and white grapefruit aromas lead to a zesty, mineral-focused palate with lemon and oak flavours. The finish suggests spice and tobacco leaf.
Pair this wine with pastas in mushroom sauce, strong cheeses, chicken salad or salmon.

©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 12th, 2025

Stoneboat, on the Black Sage Gravelbar in Oliver, is now owned by Rudy Verhoeff and Kyla Richey, former professional volleyball athletes. They also own Valley Commons, is a winery established in the District Wine Village in Oliver in 2021. Both wineries fall under the Verhoeff Group of Companies, which is headed by Paul Verhoeff, Rudy's father. The family also owns a flooring company, a brewery and restaurants in the Fraser Valley.
However, the grapes for this wine come from Yakima Valley in Washington State. The wine spent 4 months in neutral oak.
Despite the oak being neutral I find it distracting in this wine, it's absorbed more than like for a Gris. It comes through on the nose and the palate, oak soaked pears and smoked dried flowers, grass clippings and white grapefruit aromas lead to a zesty, mineral-focused palate with lemon and oak flavours. The finish suggests spice and tobacco leaf.
Pair this wine with pastas in mushroom sauce, strong cheeses, chicken salad or salmon.

©copyright 2025 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - June 12th, 2025