James Cahill Interview

This interview is an oral history conducted by Linfield College archivist Rich Schmidt with James Cahill of Soter Vineyards. The interview took place at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, Oregon on January 10, 2019. James Cahill is associate winemaker at Soter Vineyards and a partner and winemaker for North Valley Vineyards (a partnership with Soter owners Tony and Michelle Soter and with Brian Sypher, director of sales and marketing at Soter). In this interview, Cahill talks about how he found his way into the wine industry, discussing the various jobs he held, as well as the reasoning behind why he was so passionate about Burgundy wine. Cahill describes how he ended up in Oregon, his initial impressions of the Oregon wine industry, the challenges he has faced, and how the industry has evolved. He explains his connection with Linfield College and offers his thoughts about the wine education it provides. Cahill concludes by discussing his views on the future of the Oregon wine industry and by urging people to think about what can be done to protect the environment better