Hester Creek Estate Winery owner Curt Garland is proud to announce that he has appointed Mark Sheridan as general manager. A seasoned viticulturalist who has built his name in Australia and a further decade in BC, Sheridan was officially welcomed to the Hester Creek team late last week. As Hester Creek’s general manager, Sheridan looks forward to the next phase of success for his career in the Okanagan, a place he now considers home.

More detail:

Hailing from Australia and having worked for two of the largest producers, Cellarmaster Wines and Orlando Wyndham, Mark Sheridan relocated to Canada in 1999 as director of vineyard operations for Vincor Canada. He was attracted to BC, as he saw the Okanagan as the world’s next wine frontier. Over the past decade the wine media in Canada has recognized Sheridan’s talent. He has been called ‘a rising star in a young wine industry’, and under his careful guidance, the grapes he grew went into the BC wines that garnered top international awards including world’s best Shiraz at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, England.

Now, after working with Canada’s largest wine company, Sheridan is excited to work with the team at Hester Creek to further highlight his management capabilities.

“For the past ten years, I have been getting to know this unique valley.” says Sheridan. “From what I’ve seen, we have an incredibly special site here at Hester Creek. I am pleased to be here,” he continues, “not only for the vineyard, but also for this gorgeous new facility that offers one of the best experiences for visitors to the Okanagan.”

Garland’s “right hand man” in many areas of his businesses, David Livingstone, had assumed select general manager functions to date. Livingstone will remain involved but will have a lesser function as Sheridan takes the reins.

As general manager, Sheridan will see the viticulture through to the finished wines and then into the marketplace. Hester Creek Estate Winery boasts some of BC’s oldest and best vineyards. Seeing the potential, Sheridan is keen to work with winemaker Rob Summers to make the best possible wines, and work hands on in all areas of the winery’s operation. He will also work closely with Robin and Lee Ann Openshaw, who handle sales / marketing and hospitality respectively. With Sheridan in his new role, the Openshaws can experience a reprieve from their tireless efforts since Garland purchased the property in 2004. The couple has seen Hester Creek though substantial vineyard efforts, massive on site facilities construction and the embrace of Rob Summers as winemaker, bringing about Hester Creek’s “new day”. “We have so much to offer here at Hester Creek,” Sheridan says. “I look forward to working with Curt Garland and his talented team and being a part of Hester Creek’s next phase of success.”

Sheridan predicts that as a team, with winemaker Rob Summers’ wines and the new winery facility combined, that this will be the year that people flock to Hester Creek.

About Hester Creek Estate Winery

Hester Creek Estate Winery, situated within 95-acres on the bountiful Golden Mile Bench, has a long and interesting history in the Okanagan Valley. Under the direction of current owner Curt Garland, the experience found there today is completely new. The Mediterranean-influenced grounds, winery, and guest villa evokes an old-world sense of tranquility that take you back to a more simple, unhurried era. Discover winemaker Rob Summers’ fresh, lively wines that convey the extraordinary place where they were grown. Join in a cooking class, relax on the patio among the vines, or browse in the new wine shop for giftware to accompany visitors’ wine purchases. Visit one of the world’s most recent and exciting wine discoveries. The South Okanagan Valley’s “Golden Mile Bench” and Hester Creek await guests’ arrival.  www.hestercreek.com