Our Winemaker And Team

A great wine begins with a great bunch. In pursuit of perfection, the Fitzpatricks have recruited the best in viticulture and oenology expertise.  CedarCreek's newest addition, Winemaker Darryl Brooker, was most recently Senior Winemaker - Ontario at Hillebrand and Thirty Bench Wineries and has over 12 years experience making ultra premium wines in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.  Prior experience also includes winemaking at Flat Rock Cellars in Ontario, Villa Maria Estate in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and Mountadam Vineyards in Barossa Valley, Australia.  Mr. Brooker is a graduate of Charles Sturt University in Australia (Bachelor of Applied Science - Wine Science) and also has a graduate diploma from Adelaide University in Wine Business.  Commenting on the move to the Okanagan Valley, Mr. Brooker said, “The opportunity to be a part of the CedarCreek team and make wine from such high quality Okanagan vineyards is very exciting.  I am looking forward to the challenge and opportunity of continually evolving the already highly regarded CedarCreek wines." Mr. Brooker works closely with Assistant Winemaker Bill Pierson, formally with Laughing Stock Vineyards and Township 7.

The vineyards are carefully managed by Merle Lawrence who is entering his nineteenth growing season with CedarCreek. Merle works closely with each of our vineyard managers who all reside on site; Terry Trapnell at the CedarCreek home block, Justin Adams at Greata Ranch near Peachland and Brian Dorosz at Desert Ridge and Haynes Creek in Osoyoos. Utilizing the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, CedarCreek has nine viticulture workers from Oaxaca, Mexico working with them for eight months of the year. The Mexican crew has made an impact with their highly efficient and skilled viticulture techniques. Providing sage advice to the whole vineyard team is Eric Neil, a consulting viticulturist from Sonoma, California. CedarCreek farms for flavours at its four unique sites totaling 150 acres, which now represent over 70% of our grapes, enabling us to craft some of the finest wine from the Okanagan Valley.