Kirk Sutherland: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Kirk Sutherland of Erde Wines. In this interview, Kirk talks about his experience with wine and his journey into the Oregon wine world. He speaks about developing his palate, initially through coffee and later through wine and wine tastings. He goes over what it was like living on the East Coast and how that experienced compared after moving to Oregon. He describes his wine education, the various jobs he’s held in the industry, and what he’s been able to accomplish so far. Later, he talks about his new project Erde Wines. Kirk tells us why decided to tackle this new project, the first steps he took, and what success he has seen so far. He goes on to tell us how he chose the name, what his goals are for the brand, and what it was like starting Erde Wines in 2020. Kirk ends by discussing the challenges that quarantine and the 2020 fires brought as well as what he’s hoping to see in the future for himself and his business. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Coava Coffee in Portland on August 6, 2021.