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.

Hailing from Australia and having worked for two of the largest producers, Cellarmaster Wines and Orlando Wyndham, in 1999 Mark Sheridan relocated to Canada 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 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 a small 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, "and we have an incredibly special site here at Hester Creek. I am pleased to be here," he continues, "not only for the vineyard, but 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 wine, and then into the marketplace. Hester Creek Estate Winery boasts some of BC's oldest and best vineyards, and 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 LeeAnn Openshaw, who handle sales and 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 combined, that this will be the year that people flock to Hester Creek.