Do well-rooted grape growers produce better wines when they turn to winemaking? There’s plenty of precedent.

The iconic B.C. house Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars is a classic example. Long-time growers Jane and Ian Mavety crossed over from hybrids to European vinifera in the early ’80s. By the ’90s, they had established themselves as producers of state-of-the-art sparkling wine, initially the delicious brut, subsequently the rosé, then all manner of Pinots, culminating in a breakout vintage of Pinot Noir that some of us felt was the first B.C. red wine we should take seriously.

More recently the Stoneboat family succumbed to the winemaking lure after 25 years of grape-growing on the South Okanagan’s Lower Black Sage bench. Actually, it’s the Martiniuk family: father, mother, three sons, all of them working the land, the winery, the tasting room. Sizable orchard property was replanted with grapes in the early ’80s. (In fact, Brights Wines had Lanny Martiniuk plant various experimental varietals, including Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane, which soon got the chop—such unpronounceable names were deemed unsuitable for our Anglo-centric market.)

The energetic, one-man wine whirlwind Lawrence Herder had just opened his own winery the previous vintage, near Keremeos, but seemed to have some spare time, so he was brought in to make the first Stoneboat vintage in 2005.

Nobody’s even glanced back, let alone looked, since that initial release. To use John Schreiner’s incisive assessment: “Stoneboat has emerged as a Pinot house with a tight varietal focus.” Ask the senior Martiniuk what makes his wines so solid and appealing, and he’ll probably say he doesn’t (yet) know. As he told me a couple of months ago, “Every year I am taught something new by the grapes.”

Well, whatever it is they do, they have something solidly in hand. The present portfolio was the first to reach my palate, and I can seriously say that no new winery in the Okanagan has impressed me so much since I started commenting on that scene in 1975.

The customary cautionary note: at least four of the wines are already sold-out at the winery. There are Stoneboat wines in many restaurants and private wine shops; more information can be found at www.stoneboatvineyards.com/.

A word on the name: a “stoneboat” is a flat sledge for carrying stones. One was used by the family to clear the home vineyard of its abundant river rocks.

Pinot Blanc 2008 ($16.90; sold-out)
A soft, stylish PB with no sharp edges, no overt oak, just light, lovely fruit; a textbook, classic B.C. PB. (There are a lot of clumsy, over-wooded PBs out there, and this rises effortlessly above them.) For oysters, fresh or lightly grilled, and deftly seasoned firm-fleshed fish. In a PB taste-off, this would surely place in the top three.

Pinot Gris 2008 ($18.90) and Pinot Gris Barrel Reserve 2008 ($21.90; sold-out)
There are two Stoneboat Pinot Gris: the “regular” and the Barrel Reserve. While there is some difference, obviously in the flavours, I would be hard-pressed to pick one over the other. The “regular” was handled in stainless steel only, with some lees contact, and would be a serious contender among the sizable clutch of fresh B.C. PGs. The Barrel Reserve has obviously lived longer on the lees, and the rich, bread-doughy yeastiness shows through without blurring its edgy leanness. There are elements of apple here, and a fine freshness. The first for the sashimi, the second for the cream-sauced seafood.

Chorus 2008 ($17.90; sold-out)
My big regret: I didn’t get to it in time to secure a couple of cases, for this is a fabulous, fresh wine. Next year”¦ A whole fruit basket of flavours hits the nose—fresh limes, a hint of alpine flowers; luscious, satisfying all the way back and down; then a nice dry finish. It’s all in here: Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Kerner, Mí¼ller-Thurgau, Schí¶nburger, all assembled by very skilled blender’s hands. If you see it on a restaurant list somewhere, give it a try.

Faux Pas Rose 2008 ($16.90; sold-out)
Okay, that’s the last of the sold-out signs—for now; there’ll be more. One of the past year’s pleasures for this palate was the tasting of many remarkable rosés. A perfect wine with pork chops with blackcurrant preserve and watercress and simple potatoes. Many people haven’t tasted a hearty, rib-sticking rosé; here’s one, and it was a dinner winner.

Reds, then, and one sweetie. At last check, these were all still available from the winery.

Pinot Noir 2007 ($23.90)
Deep, dark colour, hefty alcohol, light spice and a little lavender in there for the nose; big spice—mostly black pepper—for the palate. After all that spice, we found the length and finish to be a bit short, but very clean.

Pinotage 2007 ($24.90)
The slightly quirky South African specialty variety reaches its best expression in Canadian vineyards here at Stoneboat. No wonder it won the Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence these last two years. This one is deep and intense, surprisingly round and mellow, though still showing good tannins. There’s a hint of graphite in the acidity, full fruit, and surprising deftness. A fall-and-winter hearty food companion of the first order. Maybe cassoulet?

Pinotage Solo Barrel Reserve 2007 ($32.90)
If you liked that, you’ll be ecstatic over this. It’s got all the same good stuff as the one before, but bigger tannins, more mellowness, and gorgeous oak aspects (20 months in French and American wood, 80 percent of it new), all leading to a fiery, spicy finish that coats the mouth for hours. I’ve no hesitation in saying this is easily the best Pinotage produced in B.C. yet.

Verglas Oraniensteiner Icewine 2007 ($54.90, 375 millilitres)
One day—I don’t have enough space or time, nor have I had enough to drink yet—I’ll tell you Oraniensteiner’s brief B.C. history; always loved the grape, and no one has ever done more or better with it than Lynn Stark. Anyhow, 88 cases of these half-bottles of Verglas Oraniensteiner icewine were made, from old-vines Oraniensteiner. We could talk a lot more about the river influence and the heat units. Or not. There’s marzipan and honey almond, and noyaux edges; whistle-clean (meaning the sugar is so well integrated it doesn’t overwhelm), and the acidity is beautiful. You’ll see it again on the best-of-the-year list. Brilliant Christmas gifts if you’ve got the cash.