Interview
This interview is with Emily Rozga of Soter Vineyards. Emily is originally from Santa Rosa, California, and talks about growing up around food, agriculture, and the outdoors. She shares how those early interests led her to attend Cal Poly with the focus on wine and viticulture, initially believing winemaking would be her future. Through internships, harvest experiences, and working in tasting rooms and cellars, she discovered she was more drawn to vineyard health and grape growing than production itself.
Emily discusses wanting to see more of the world after college, traveling internationally, gaining hands-on vineyard experience abroad, including time in New Zealand. She reflects on returning to California, working in Napa, and eventually stepping away from the wine industry for a period to work in organic vegetable farming in the Pacific Northwest. The experience deepened her interest in ecology, sustainability, and long-term land health.
Next, Emily talks about how she returned to wine with a different perspective—focused less on winemaking and more on viticulture, vineyard systems, and environmental stewardship. She talks about collecting vineyard data, monitoring pest and disease, improving crop health, and helping create long-term solutions for sustainable farming practices. She also shares how finding community within Oregon agriculture and the wine industry played an important role in her career.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Sheridan, Oregon on May 14, 2026.
Interview
This interview is with Aquiles Girón of Soter Vineyards. In this interview, Aquiles speaks about growing up in Mexico before coming to California and working in the vineyards. He talks about learning his craft and taking on more and more responsibility.
Later, he speaks about coming to Oregon and finding work with Soter. He speaks of work in the vineyards and in the winery, specifcally Soter’s sparkling wine program. He also reflects on what he’s proudest of and looks ahead to the future.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soter Vineyards in Carlton on June 21, 2023. Translation was done by Annette Castillo-Rodriguez.
Interview
This interview is with Jess Arnold of Soter Vineyards. In this interview, Jess speaks about her path to finding wine and her passion for the industry.
Jess talks about growing up in California and what led her to pursue a career in wine. From time spent in New York pursuing being a sommelier to working her first Oregon harvest, Jess has been hooked on wine.
Jess also dives into her current role at Soter and all that it entails.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soter Vineyards in Carlton on June 21, 2023.
interview
This interview is with Antonio Verduzco of Soter Vineyards. In this interview, Antonio speaks about growing up in Michoacán, Mexico and coming to Oregon as a child. After high school, he found that work in the vineyards reminded him of his grandparents’ farm growing up, and he worked hard to master all the skills needed.
He also speaks about how he came to Soter, and the projects he’s worked on there, as well as the growth of the property and vineyards.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soter Vineyards in Carlton on June 21, 2023.
Interview
This interview is with Hallie Whyte of Soter Vineyards. She began the interview with discussing her time studying math and Spanish at Linfield College. Hallie grew up in McMinnville working in and around the wine industry at restaurants and tasting rooms. After college she went to Mexico City to teach and upon returning to Oregon she ended up at Soter.
Hallie began in DTC sales and eventually took the role of Managing Director. She spoke of striving for diversity of all kinds in Soter employees, and gave her marketing advice. Later in the interview Hallie described the changes she has seen in the industry and of her hopes for the collaborative culture of the Oregon wine industry to remain.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on May 7, 2021 at Soter Vineyards.
Interview
This interview is with Chris Fladwood of Soter Vineyards. In this interview, Chris speaks about his life before wine, including his time in the army. He talks about his initial interest in the vineyard and how that turned into winemaking. He describes his work in France, New Zealand, and tells us why he decided to stay and work in the Oregon Wine Industry. He talks about the adventure, risk, and thrill that’s in winemaking and also compares winemakers to artists.
Later Chris goes over his role as winemaker for Soter and offers words of wisdom to those entering the industry. His advice: trust your instincts and prepare yourself for a difficult job.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soter Vineyards on May 7, 2021.
Interview
This interview is with Julia Bandy of Soter Vineyards. In this interview, Julia describes how she made her way from culinary school and restaurant management to the world of wine. She speaks about how her skills in leadership, hospitality, and food helped her dive into the wine industry.
Julia also discusses the Oregon Wine community and how it thrives on connection. She talks about women in the industry and what changes can be made to improve where the industry is lacking – specifically in the tasting room. She goes on to describe the new generation of winemakers and how she thinks they may impact the wine world.
Later she describes working at Soter Vineyards as their Director of Consumer Sales and Marketing. She talks about how they have built their reputation and how their strategies may change in the coming years. She also speaks about their values and says that every decision they make thinks about the environment and people first. She describes it as a company who can stand behind their values.
She finishes by describing what she hopes to see in the future of the Oregon Wine Industry, and what she thinks her role in that will be.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University Library on February 23, 2021.
Interview
This interview is with James Cahill, winemaker at Soter Vineyards. In this interview, James talks about how he found his way into the wine industry, and later production: “one thing led to another,” and he was immediately engaged in the story, culture, and uniqueness of wine. He then goes on to discuss the various jobs he held, as well as the reasoning behind why he was so passionate about Burgundy wine. James later describes how he ended up in Oregon, and his initial impressions of the Oregon wine industry. With this, he then speaks of the challenges he has faced, as well as how the industry itself has evolved. Towards the end, James describes his connection with Linfield College and offers his thoughts about the wine education it provides. To conclude, he states what the future of the Oregon wine industry will look like and urges people to take a look at their habits and think about what can be done to better protect the environment. James ends with a statement about how prevalent community and culture is a key element for the industry to thrive.