There’s a quote that says you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with.
Shown In The Photo: The team: (L-R) Josh, Michelle, Janice, and Gavin.
Gavin and Shana Miller at Upper Bench Winery & Creamery have taken this to heart – handpicking a team of dedicated staff that have become more like family.
Much like siblings, this trio – Michelle Ost, Janice MacLean and Joshua Edwards – are as different as they are talented. One thing they all have in common though is their dedication to producing top quality wines.
While some spend more time on the crush pad or in the wine shop than between the vines, winemaker Gavin says each member of the team knows that great grapes make great wine. His own love of the vineyard has spilled over to his team and given each of them a deep appreciation for what grows there.
Cellarhand Michelle, the youngest vintage of the bunch, is a hard worker who has spent all of her adult years around grape vines. Joshua – the assistant winemaker – came to the winery in 2012 from Poplar Grove after being top of his class at Okanagan College’s assistant winemaker program.
Both Joshua and the team’s newest addition, Janice – a keen gardener – have an excellent palate, making them a perfect sounding board for every one of the 2400 cases of wine Upper Bench produces.
It’s the handcrafted, personal touch that comes from working with a small and committed crew that results in the creation of wines to be proud of. For more about the crew, go to www.upperbench.ca/about/our-crew.
~ Tracy Clark