Stoneboat's History

Stoneboat Vineyards is the culmination of two decades of grape growing/farming that began in 1978 when Julie and Lanny Martiniuk decided to leave the lower mainland and move to the Okanagan Valley, where Julie was born and raised. They hoped to buy a vineyard with their savings; Lanny would leave his career in nuclear medicine to farm it, while Julie would continue practicing pharmacy. Because no vineyard land was for sale, they settled for 15-acre orchard on the Black Sage and bought it on a handshake in 1979, eventually converting the entire property to vinifera.

Since their arrival in the valley, Lanny and Julie have propagated two additional properties (Maggie May Vineyard and Orchard Grove Vineyard and have raised three sons Jay, Tim and Chris. In 2003 Lanny and Julie began to seriously revisit the idea of opening a winery- something they had considered all along but had postponed until their kids were grown. They and the kids are now as busy as ever with Stoneboat Vineyards, the winery, which released its first vintage in March, 2007.

Our Timeline

1949- Harold and Margaret Green purchase a 14- acre parcel of raw land (later Maggie May Vineyard) under the Veteran’s Land Act. Their two daughters, Julie and Cyndy, are raised on the homestead property.

1979 – Julie and Lanny Martiniuk leave Vancouver with the hopes of purchasing a vineyard. They acquired the original Stoneboat property just up the road from what is now the Maggie May vineyard.

1984 – First vinifera planted such as, Pinot Blanc and Schönberger, as well as experimental Russian vinifera including Rikatsitelli (then the world’s second-most planted grape). This is the first orchard to vinifera conversion on the Black Sage. Maggie May Vineyard is planted as well.

1985- First vinifera killed to the ground in November freeze.

1991- Lanny and Julie acquire 17 acres adjacent to the Home Vineyard

1992-1998 Marks the beginning of a planting program that converts all land to vinifera. New property is planted with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris vinifera in ‘92, with Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon to be added later

1998- Orchard Grove Lane is acquired (also on a handshake). It is converted from orchard to vineyard, and new clones of Pinot Noir, along with Pinotage and Pinot Gris, are planted.

2003- Julie and Lanny begin to develop plans for an estate winery that will focus on Pinots (Gris, Blanc, and Noir), their most planted varietals, as well as their heritage vinifera.

2005- Stoneboat Vineyards creates its first vintage.