The Faces Behind the Names.
At Township 7, our wines are a testament to both the exceptional vineyards they originate from and the passionate individuals who craft them. With decades of skill, artistry, and innovation, our team is committed to producing extraordinary wines from our renowned estate vineyards in the South Okanagan.
Mike Raffan
General Manager
A veteran restaurateur, with over two decades in the hospitality industry, Mike has been passionate about wine all of his working life. Since 2006 he has managed all aspects of the winery’s operations overseeing the growth of Township 7 with the expansion of both wine shops, an increase in production, and evolution of the winery to more small lot single vineyard wines. He has been involved in many industry associations including the BC Wine Grape Council, the executive of the Naramata Bench Winery Association, the Board of the BC Wine Institute, and advisor to the BC Wine Authority. Born and raised on the north shore of Vancouver, he enjoys the outdoor lifestyle and can be found in his spare time cycling, hiking or paddle boarding.
Trevor Allen
Assistant General Manager
After a few years being successful in the Restaurant industry, Trevor expanded his wine knowledge joining the wine industry. He has enjoyed a rewarding career in Wine Sales servicing the many restaurants of the lower mainland. His success continued as he has worked in leadership roles at selective reputable wineries in the Okanagan.
A tasting with Trevor is like watching a ballet of service. Before his extensive training in wine and hospitality he was a theatre major. Now a sommelier, he says that visiting a wine shop or going to an event should encompass storytelling. Trevor’s philosophy: while no one ever comes to a winery in a bad mood, the focus is on engaging all the senses and remember that wine is ultimately about celebration…even if that celebration is just that it’s Tuesday.
Mary McDermott
Winemaker
Winemaker, Sommelier, Explorer. Mary’s wine journey began as a Sommelier at Niagara’s fine dining restaurant, Inn on the Twenty, while finishing her Bachelor of Science in Oenology and Viticulture at Brock University. Obtaining her first taste of winemaking, she landed at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s prestigious Stratus Vineyards as Cellar hand and then assistant cellarmaster at Cave Spring Cellars. Soon thereafter, Mary joined Niagara’s premier winery family, Peller Estates premium wineries; Trius Winery at Hillebrand and Thirty Bench as their winemaker. A desire to pursue a lifelong dream of crafting quality wines in the picturesque Okanagan Valley prompted Mary’s move in 2014 to B.C.’s renowned Naramata Bench as winemaker for Township 7 Vineyards & Winery. Now with multiple vineyards to oversee, two locations for Township 7, and many small lot wines to craft, Mary is a calm and collected wealth of winemaking knowledge. She believes winemaking starts in the vineyard and works closely with our viticulture team recognizing the nuances of each site. She and her husband are intrepid travelers, having visited wine regions across the globe. Fittingly, Mary’s wine philosophy: each bottle should take you somewhere, and express where it came from.
Devon Villard
Assistant Winemaker
Originally hailing from Ontario cottage country, Devon’s journey to winemaking has not followed the standard script. He joined Township 7 three years ago, first as our Naramata Tasting Room Manager and then transitioning to Cellar hand to learn the craft of winemaking. With a multifaceted background in pro snowboarding, rock climbing, photography and film, his perspective on making a good wine is like that of making a good movie, requiring a lot of hard work and just the right balance of science and creativity. Along the road to wine, saw him complete WSET Level 3, start a wine club, write a wine blog and earn his certification in Enology at Washington State University. In his free time when not taking pictures or editing film shorts, Devon can be found in the beautiful Okanagan outdoors back country skiing in the winter and playing disc golf in the summer.
South Langley
Erica McCarthy
Vineyard Supervisor (South Langley)
Erica was born and raised in Langley. Before starting at Township 7 she started her own successful cleaning business in Fraser Valley. One summer after a wine tour in the Okanagan, she was fascinated by the idea of the wine industry. She eventually took her WSET Level 1. After applying to some of the wineries in the Fraser Valley she was so excited at the opportunity to join Township 7 Vineyards & Winery. She started May of 2019 in the Langley tasting room, and after two seasons transitioned to the Langley vineyard. You’ll usually catch her out in the vines with her dogs Bruce & Frankie or her daughters Devyn and Austyn “helping”.
Naramata Bench
Kelsey Zimmerman
Tasting Room Manager
Immersed in hospitality from the start of her career, Kelsey began her journey as a hostess, later transitioning to serving and bartending at Earls. Following a move to Vancouver to pursue film school, she continued working as a server, bartender and then assistant bar manager at Cactus Club. During this time she discovered a passion for wine, leading her to obtain WSET Level 1 and 2 certifications. In 2021, Kelsey relocated to the scenic Okanagan. Since then, she has been delighting guests as part of a tasting room management team, offering exceptional experiences and sharing her wine knowledge. Simultaneously, she pursued further education completing Levels 1 and 2 of the BC Wine Ambassador course. This summer, Kelsey joined Township 7 as our Naramata Bench Tasting Room Manager, bringing her enthusiasm and experience to our team. Continuing her dedication to personal growth, Kelsey is currently completing her Business Administration Marketing Diploma. In her leisure time, you can find her exploring the stunning Okanagan outdoors hiking, golfing, or paddleboarding.
South Langley
Cody Karman
Tasting Room Manager
A B.C. native and another Boathouse Restaurant alumnus, Cody has a multifaceted background with a wealth of hospitality and communications credentials. As a server and later bartender, he developed an appreciation for B.C. wine and loved connecting with people, hearing the stories they had to share. He describes himself as a “hidden nerd” who was a self-proclaimed computer geek in school, which has translated into a strong knowledge of digital marketing with over five years working in website, social media and email marketing. At Township 7, he has been able to blend his hospitality experience and IT savvy with a strong passion for wine. Stop by our South Langley winery, Cody would love to connect with you!
South Langley & Naramata Bench
Kristina Diack-Trotzuk
Wine Club Supervisor
A Fraser Valley native with a deep-rooted passion for wine, Kristina Trotzuk’s career in the wine industry dates back to 2018. Her journey started after several years of diverse experience in sales, customer service, leadership, and education across various industries.
In 2021, she had the opportunity to join Township 7, working in our south Langley tasting room, where her vibrant personality and unwavering positivity made her an integral part of our success. Kristina’s dedication to wine is further evident in her pursuit of knowledge, as she recently achieved her WSET Level 1 certification and is now on the path to completing WSET Level 2.
When she’s not immersed in the world of wine, Kristina can be found experiencing the beauty of nearby Crescent Beach with her husband. We welcome you to visit and savour a glass of wine with her and the other members of our hospitality team.
Naramata Bench
Rory
Winery Dog
An Australian Shepherd, Rory is from the Similkameen and was adopted in 2021. Her favourite activities are running in the vineyard, chasing her ball (and our chickens!), playing in the snow, and accompanying Mary to work to hang out with the gang.
Stop by our Naramata Bench winery and meet our furry sweetheart!
