Halleck Vineyard and Cheetah Conservation Fund – A Perfect Pairing

I am excited to share that Cheetah Conservation Fund entered into a partnership with Halleck Vineyard! Twenty-five percent of sales from three of Halleck Vineyard’s wines purchased here will directly support CCF.

Halleck Vineyard produces some of the finest wines in the world, recognized by over 10 national and international competitions and publications. A family boutique winery, they are located in west Sonoma County, parts of the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. These locations are considered “Gold Country” for wine lovers.

Halleck’s Pinot Noirs and White wines placed at the top of the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition, the largest, oldest and most prestigious in the US.

I am thrilled to have the support of such a distinguished vineyard. Wine has played in important role in my own career path. I come from a very strong agricultural background. Before I began working with cheetahs, I owned one of the first three bonded wineries in Oregon. The reason I started working at Wildlife Safari in 1974 was to earn supplemental income to support my wine making business. At Wildlife Safari, I worked with a cheetah named Khayam and as much as I loved farming and winemaking, once I met her, saving the species in the wild became my lifelong mission.

My background in farming has served me well in CCF’s efforts. Namibia’s economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, specifically livestock farming. From the first day I arrived in Namibia, I have worked alongside farmers and agricultural community leaders to develop predator-friendly farming techniques that work for both humans and wildlife. Namibian farmers were very hesitant to work with me at first. Once they realized I could relate and understand their concerns, I had a much easier time convincing them that we should work together. The most surprising revelation to farmers that began utilizing CCF’s predator-friendly techniques, is that the profitability of their farms increased because they experienced a dramatic decrease in predation of their livestock herds.

In addition to our efforts in helping livestock farmers, CCF is focused heavily on opening new market potentials for farming families. Not many people know it but CCF has a vineyard at our Research and Education Centre. The research vineyard is a part of our Model Farm with our Dancing Goat Creamery, where we teach cheesemaking to help farmers maximize the profitability of their farms.

CCF’s work within the farming communities is one of the reasons our partnership with Halleck Vineyards makes perfect sense. Their corporate goal is “Building Community Through Wine”. Halleck Vineyards does this by supporting causes that touch their hearts. Company Founder, Ross Halleck, lived in Kenya as a young man. He witnessed first-hand that wildlife and wild spaces were becoming diminished as human populations began to rise. By supporting CCF through a percentage of sales, Ross hopes he and his family can help CCF conserve the cheetahs’ ecosystem.

Purchase Halleck Vineyard wines using CCF’s page and your purchase will help save cheetahs in the wild.