When the devastating January 2024 freeze swept through British Columbia’s vineyards, River Stone Estate Winery faced the same difficult question confronting wineries across the province: how do you continue making wine when much of your crop is gone?
Earlier this year, I updated this trend in my article, Crafted in BC Wines: Keeping the Heart of BC Winemaking Alive, which examined how wineries across the province have used imported fruit to preserve jobs, tasting room experiences and winery brands while vineyards recover.
One of the strongest examples has been River Stone Estate Winery’s Good Neighbours program.
First introduced with the 2024 vintage, the series allowed River Stone to continue producing wines despite severe vineyard losses. As I noted in my earlier article, Drink River Stone Crafted in BC, thoughtfully sourced fruit and skilled winemaking can still produce wines that remain true to a winery’s identity.
The 2025 vintage marks the final chapter of that story.
Following the replanting of approximately two-thirds of its vineyards after the freeze, River Stone once again partnered with growers in Washington State through the Vintage Replacement Program while waiting for young vines to mature. The result is a collection of five white wines that showcase both resilience and opportunity—wines that helped bridge the gap between vineyard recovery and the winery’s future estate-grown production.
Why the Good Neighbours Program Continues
The decision to continue the Good Neighbours program in 2025 was straightforward. Although River Stone replanted significant portions of its vineyard following the 2024 freeze, newly planted vines are not yet mature enough to produce commercial fruit.
In fact, River Stone proactively removed and replanted large portions of its Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot vineyards, while several other varieties suffered substantial vineyard losses. Sauvignon Blanc was the only white variety to produce a meaningful estate crop in 2025. To maintain production and support long-term vineyard recovery, River Stone once again sourced fruit from Washington State’s Yakima Valley and Ancient Lakes AVAs through the Vintage Replacement Program.
The winery views 2025 as the final vintage of the Good Neighbours series. By 2026, the focus will increasingly shift back toward BC-grown fruit as the young vineyards mature and production gradually returns.
What makes these wines noteworthy is that they are not simply substitutes for lost fruit. They also offered an opportunity to explore new vineyard sites, terroirs and grape varieties while remaining faithful to River Stone’s fruit-forward, balanced house style.
The 2025 collection may be the strongest Good Neighbours lineup yet. While each wine reflects the character of its Washington vineyard source, all retain the freshness, balance and food-friendly style River Stone fans have come to expect. Several would rank among the winery’s top white wine releases regardless of the circumstances that created them.
2025 River Stone Chenin Blanc Good Neighbours
Ancient Lakes AVA, Washington State
11.9% alc. | 250 cases | $26.90
Vineyard and Winemaking
The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Ancient Lakes AVA within Washington’s Columbia Valley. This distinctive growing region is known for basalt and caliche soils, higher-elevation vineyards, and minimal rainfall, conditions that encourage concentrated flavours while preserving natural acidity.
Harvested at optimal ripeness, the wine underwent a slow, temperature-controlled fermentation designed to retain freshness, aromatic purity and varietal character.
Tasting Notes
The Chenin Blanc captivates with aromas of stone fruit and floral rose petals. The rich, layered mouthfeel unfolds into a symphony of Mandarin orange, passion fruit, and ripe peach. The promise of both freshness and texture suggests a Chenin Blanc that should appeal to fans of Loire-inspired and New World styles alike. 90 Points.
2025 River Stone Sauvignon Blanc Good Neighbours
Yakima Valley AVA & Boulder City Vineyard, Oliver
12.3% alc. | 300 cases | $25.90
Vineyard and Winemaking
This wine may be the most interesting in the lineup because it combines Washington-grown Sauvignon Blanc with River Stone’s first returning estate crop from Boulder City Vineyard.
The Yakima Valley fruit contributes tropical-fruit intensity and stone-fruit character, while the Oliver-grown component adds crunchy acidity, floral notes, and mineral complexity. The lots were fermented separately in stainless steel before final blending, preserving the unique attributes of each vineyard source.
Tasting Notes
Enticing aromas of vibrant citrus and tropical fruits, interwoven with delicate floral whispers. On the palate, crisp green apple dances with zesty pink grapefruit and lime, unfolding into a tropical medley of honeydew melon and passionfruit. Silky, beautifully textured mouthfeel, culminating in subtle flinty minerality, balanced acidity and a long, lingering finish. 91 Points
2025 River Stone Pinot Gris Good Neighbours
Yakima Valley AVA
13.8% alc. | 250 cases | $24.90
Vineyard and Winemaking
The fruit for this Pinot Gris was sourced from Washington’s Yakima Valley AVA, the oldest recognized grape-growing region in the Pacific Northwest.
Following a brief cold soak, the wine underwent a long, clean fermentation to preserve fruit purity and freshness. A small portion also completed malolactic fermentation, adding complexity and a richer mouthfeel to the finished wine.
Tasting Notes
River Stone’s 2025 Pinot Gris is all about freshness and easy-drinking appeal. Aromas of crisp green apple and zesty lemon rise from the glass, layered with delicate floral notes and a touch of honeyed richness. On the palate, juicy tropical fruit and ripe Anjou pear take centre stage, supported by lively acidity and subtle mineral nuances that carry through the long, refreshing finish. Bright, fruit-forward and beautifully balanced, this is the kind of Pinot Gris made for sunny patios, casual gatherings and effortless summer sipping. 90 Points.
2025 River Stone Albariño Good Neighbours
Yakima Valley AVA
13.9% alc. | 150 cases | $31.90
Vineyard and Winemaking
Produced in very limited quantities, this small-lot Albariño was crafted using two separate yeast strains selected to enhance both aromatics and texture. The lots were fermented separately at cool temperatures before blending and bottling.
With only 150 cases produced, this is one of the rarest wines in River Stone’s current portfolio.
Tasting Notes
The Albariño opens with subtle aromas of ripe peach, melon and citrus. The beautifully textured wine has flavours of stone fruit, kiwi, and key lime, with subtle spice and minerality. Albariño remains a rarity in BC wine circles, making this one of the more intriguing releases in the lineup. For me, it is also the standout wine of the collection. 92 Points
River Stone Splash White Blend 2025
Good Neighbours Series
44% Pinot Gris | 34% Sauvignon Blanc | 15% Albariño | 7% Chenin Blanc
13.2% alc. | 275 cases | $23.90
Vineyard and Winemaking
Splash brings together fruit from Yakima Valley, Ancient Lakes and River Stone’s Boulder City Vineyard in Oliver. The blend combines four varieties fermented using temperature-controlled techniques before final blending.
The result is intended to deliver freshness, fruit expression and broad consumer appeal.
Tasting Notes
Lifted aromas of apricot, mango and nectarine lead into flavours of ripe apple, Mandarin orange and Key lime. A touch of residual sweetness balances the wine’s natural acidity, and subtle mineral undertones add a hint of creaminess to the summer-sipping blend. 91 Points
Wine enthusiasts interested in experiencing the final Good Neighbours vintage can purchase the wines directly through River Stone Estate Winery. With production ranging from just 150 to 300 cases, several releases are likely to sell through quickly.
Final Thoughts
The Good Neighbours series was born from adversity, but it also became an opportunity for innovation and exploration.
Over two vintages, River Stone demonstrated that carefully sourced fruit, thoughtful vineyard selection and attentive winemaking can produce wines that remain true to a winery’s identity while helping bridge a challenging period in BC wine history.
For consumers, these wines offer more than a temporary solution to a difficult growing season. They represent the resilience of BC wine country and the collaborative spirit that helped wineries navigate the aftermath of the 2024 freeze.
As River Stone’s young vineyards mature and estate production gradually returns, the 2025 Good Neighbours wines stand as both a farewell and a celebration. They capture a unique moment in BC wine history when resilience, collaboration and innovation helped wineries navigate extraordinary circumstances.
For River Stone, the Good Neighbours program accomplished exactly what it set out to do: preserve the winery’s momentum while safeguarding its future. For consumers, it leaves behind two memorable vintages and a collection of wines that prove great winemaking can transcend borders while remaining unmistakably River Stone.