Meet our team at Coyote's Run

Jeff Aubry, president

One of the founding partners of Coyote's Run, Jeff has followed an interesting path in life. He has been a soldier and a career student; he's ridden the high-tech bubble, and been pink-slipped twice. With no industry experience other than consuming copious amounts of fine wine, Jeff decided to pursue a dream hatched on a wine tour with university buddies: opening his own winery. Though it has been a tremendous amount of work, Jeff is extremely pleased with his decision to get into the business of making high-quality, hand crafted premium wines.

Patti Aubry, marketing

Patti is the marketing behind Coyote's Run. With an MBA and experience in product management at Kraft Foods, she has developed quite a flair for developing and launching new brands. A loving wife and mother of two beautiful daughters, Patti juggles the marketing and production planning duties at Coyote's Run between snack time and story time.

Our Winemaking Team

David Sheppard, winemaker

Dave has been making top-notch wine for over 25 years. He got his start in 1980 in a small, family-run winery in the Mittlerhein region of Germany, but soon moved over to an upstart Canadian winery named Inniskillin Wines. After 21 years there, he made the big jump to help found Coyote's Run, a smaller winery that allows him to fully exercise his wine-making talents. A big fan of Burgundian and Alsatian wines, Dave focuses on making wines that are complex yet elegant, full-flavored yet balanced. He prefers wines that are approachable and fruit-driven, with soft ripe tannins, yet always showing true varietal character. Outside of the winery, Dave is a devoted husband to his wife Christina, a father of two beautiful young ladies (Britt and Andrea), and a diehard Leafs fan (much to Jeff's chagrin).

Steven Trussler, winemaking and viticulture

Steve is a graduate of the Oenology and Viticulture program at Brock University. He completed his undergraduate degree in Bioscience, with a focus on microbiology, from the University of Guelph.  Guelph's agricultural influence and Steve's love for wine (and all things fermented) is what propelled him to study winemaking in Niagara.   Steven's passion for terroir was first sparked by his viticulture experience at L'Acadie Vineyards in Nova Scotia.  He was impressed by the vineyard's focus on Regionalism and their dedication to terroir. They planted the grapes that thrived there and the wines created were completely different than what the rest of the world was producing - it really drove home a sense of place in each sip.  Steve spends most of his days (and early mornings) in the vineyards at Coyote's Run making sure that the vines are healthy and producing the best fruit possible for the wines.

Jeff Smith, assistant winemaker

Jeff finished his degree in Food Science from the University of Guelph and quickly joined the burgeoning brewing industry found in that part of the province.  As Assistant Head Brewer at Wellington Brewery, Jeff was a part of an award winning team producing some of the best beers in Southern Ontario.  The next step in his career flowed smoothly and logically from his experience with fermentations.  After finishing a programme of study at Brock University, Jeff's transition from barley to grapes, from beer to wine, was cemented with winemaking and viticultural experiences in Australia, the Okanagan and more recently back here in the Niagara region.

Big Al, professional taste tester

You might see him out cutting the lawns, fixing the tractors or plowing the snow in the winter but his true love is helping Dave taste test the new wines.  Al comes to us with an extensive background in building maintenance and is now at Coyote's Run ‘enjoying his retirement job'.

Vera Berezuk, back-up professional taste tester

Our office manager and bookkeeper Vera keeps the team running with her effervescent personality and obsessive need for organization.  She too, however, has a true love in taste testing the new wines - all in a day's work!

Our Retail team

Brian & Cari-Beth The best retail team in Niagara!

If you visit the winery you will likely meet Brian and Cari-Beth. Brian, our sommelier in training has a wealth of knowledge about wines from Niagara and around the world. Cari-Beth, our resident foodie, has a huge amount of experience in the Niagara wine industry and is always willing to share her latest dinner recipes.  If you come by on the weekend you might also meet the rest of our retail team: Carrie, Taylor, Amanda, and sometimes Gavin.

Rosie

Our resident coyote...no, not really!  If you visit the winery during the week you will likely meet Jeff and Patti's dog Rosie.  This Lab/Shepherd cross was rescued from the Lincoln Humane Society in March 2009 and is right at home in the vineyard chasing birds, mice and sticks.  If you are travelling with a pet be sure to ask for the four-legged vineyard tour (cats and rabbits not recommended).

Our Sales Team

Dean Christofilos

Dean is our man on the road in Toronto and area. Dean's previous experience was in the spirits industry, but you will now see him at the finer restaurants and LCBO stores bringing Coyote's Run to those in the GTA.  A wine lover and dedicated father of a son and a new baby girl, he is a great addition to our team...and yes...Dean has met Bob Barker :)

James Gaade

Recently back to the Niagara region, James is our sales rep in the Niagara, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville & Cambridge areas.  James has been a star in the Niagara wine business for over 10yrs, and outside the winery is a gourmet cook and an avid skier.

Roger Linton

Our man in the Ottawa region is Roger.  A world traveller and wine lover, Roger's second career in the wine industry has been highly successful and we are lucky to have him representing us in our Nation's capital in restaurants and LCBO stores...and his tarte flambee recipe is spectacular as well.