Supporter Spotlight: Soter Vineyards

This April, we had the opportunity to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of Planet Oregon wines and OEC’s longstanding partnership with Soter Vineyards.

Good partnerships are what drive OEC forward. We love working with mission-driven people who are as passionate about protecting Oregon as they are about what they do. This is why it was such an honor to mark this moment with a celebration of wine lovers and environmental enthusiasts alike.

Hallie Whyte, Managing Director of Soter Vineyard (left), Jana Gastellum, OEC Executive Director (middle), Tony Soter, Founder of Soter Vineyards (right)

Oregon Environmental Council and Soter Vineyards partnership began when we helped launch the Carbon Neutral Challenge for Wineries, a collaboration that helped wineries measure, track and reduce their carbon footprints. Wine growers and producers understood that temperature-sensitive grapes, like Oregon’s glorious Pinot Noir, would be impacted by a changing climate. OEC wrote a grant, lent staff time and contracted with a technical expert to develop best practices and help wineries get resources to make changes.

Many wineries – representing 20% of Oregon production and the largest collaborative group in the nation – completed the carbon neutral challenge. Today, reducing greenhouse gasses is part of the Low-Input Viticulture and Enology (LIVE) certification program that many wineries now participate in. Tony Soter was a leader, innovator, and spokesperson throughout.

Read Tony Soter’s guest blog, How Loving Oregon Led Us Beyond Sustainable Agriculture to Supporting Systemic Change in Response to the Climate Crisis.

This Earth Month, we celebrated the 15th “B-Earth Day” of Soter’s Planet Oregon wine, a sustainably produced pinot that tastes as good as it is for the planet. The team at Soter generously donates proceeds from each bottle sold to support OEC’s ongoing work. We celebrate their practices – reducing energy use, regenerative farming practices, using animals to manage weeds instead of harmful chemicals, supporting biodiversity, and more.

“Planet Oregon was born as a wine brand that wanted to have a purpose greater than what is in the bottle, and a reach beyond the confines of one property or a few wine collectors’ cellars. What if beyond being delicious and value priced, people put stock in the fact that the wine walks the talk of certified sustainable wine growing. And moreover, that this wine’s value includes sharing some of its proceeds to help save the Planet for those who will inhabit the future.” – Tony Soter

“Our partnership with Soter has meant the world to us. This kind of long-term partnership really sustains organizations like ours. Tony and his team are a dream to work with. They are warm, kind, innovative and go the extra mile for people and planet. Tony’s generosity is expressed not only through his philanthropic support for Oregon Environmental Council, but also towards the land and future generations. We also love that Tony has been a partner in advocacy, raising his voice for positive change.” – Jana Gastellum

Caption: Clockwise from upper left, Tony Soter, Founder of Soter Vineyards; Soter Vineyards’ Planet Oregon rose; OEC Board Member Antonio Lara (left), OEC Program Director, Environmental Health, Jamie Pang (middle), OEC Climate Program Director, Nora Apter (right); Jamie Kotler, Director of Experience at Soter Vineyards

See more photos from the B-Earth Day Party

[ The password is earth ]

We are deeply grateful for Soter Vineyard’s commitment and steadfast partnership as we work together to achieve a more sustainable future.

OEC’s work is funded entirely by the generosity of people, businesses, and foundations who care about making a difference and who want to support the same things that help Oregon’s wine industry thrive: healthy air, clean and plentiful water, and a climate resilient future. Please become a member of OEC today, and for partnership opportunities, please reach out to our deputy director for philanthropy, Teke Dillender, at [email protected].