Our Team
Family-owned and proudly local, Bench 1775 Winery is led by General Manager Henry Bian, who is committed to crafting exceptional wines and creating unforgettable customer experiences. Our skilled winemaking team combines innovation with a deep respect for tradition, ensuring each wine authentically reflects its varietal character. Situated on the renowned Naramata Bench, our estate vineyard is the foundation of everything we do. From the vineyard to the cellar, the tasting room, and beyond, our dedicated team works passionately to produce wines that showcase the unique quality and character of this exceptional terroir. Meet some of our key staff members below.
Henry Bian joined Bench 1775 in March 2014. He began his winery job as a cellar hand for the first year, then he moved to vineyard and took over property management as well for two years. During these three years, he also took part in bottling, warehousing management, accounting and tasting room as needed. From 2018 to 2019, he developed his main energy to the 30 acres new vineyard development. He has been involved in all aspects of the winery over the past five years. In early 2020, he returned to winery as general manager. It was a fresh start for him, but he was confident, because he is young, innovative, responsible and full of love for wines, he has devoted himself to providing more excellent wines and wonderful experience for all customers.
Andrea Lee grew up in the Okanagan Valley as a first-generation immigrant from Hong Kong, where her love for wine began to take root. Her passion led her across the globe, working harvests in Australia, New Zealand, France, and the UK—each experience adding depth and diversity to her winemaking perspective.
After earning her Master’s degree in Oenology, Andrea returned to Canada, crafting wines in Ontario and the Fraser Valley before finding her way back home to the Okanagan. Now at Bench 1775 Winery, Andrea brings her international expertise and thoughtful, hands-on approach to every bottle, showcasing a unique and expressive wine style that reflects both her global journey and deep local roots.
Enthusiastic Tina came all the way from China. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in international trade in China then an M.B.A. from New York State University in 2003 and finally settled down at Vancouver, Canada in 2007. With many years experience in sales, management, administration, contract negotiating, inventory controlling, logistics, communications and customer service, Tina adds incredible value to Bench 1775 and she is key to brining our wines to wine lovers globally.
Josh Kim was born in South Korea and raised in the Greater New York City area, where he was first exposed to a medley of unique flavors and cuisines. He studied hospitality in San Francisco and fell in love with the art of wine during his business trips to Napa Valley. He developed a passion for wine artistry which led him to earn the WSET 2 and move to Canada to pursue his dreams (currently working on WSET 3 and Canadian wine scholar). Josh has a genuine, good business mind and with his winning attitude, he desires to deliver the most outstanding experience in hospitality. With over ten years of knowledge in hospitality and restaurant business, Josh’s vision is to bring the best quality and practice to Bench 1775, highlighting it as the Center of Okanagan Valley With Bench 1775 being Josh’s third winery at Naramata, he is excited to share his expertise and fulfill his pre-pandemic dreams of leading a world-class bistro. Josh is a people-person and enjoys making new friends. During his free time, he likes to work out at the gym and play cook-offs with his two young children.
Lindsay holds a BSc in Food, Nutrition and Health from the University of British Columbia. Lindsay took wine science courses during her study, which sparked her interest in wine. She joined Bench 1775 Winery in 2016 as Marketing and Social Media Coordinator to manage all the sites of social media networks and marketing. Lindsay became Senior Marketing Specialist in 2020 and is responsible for website management, social media and all the company’s digital presence. Lindsay has helped grow Bench 1775 brand and presence with her efforts.
