Merliance Names Wölffer Winemaker Roman Roth As President
Members of the former Long Island Merlot Alliance—now Merliance—have voted winemaker and founding member Roman Roth, also a partner (since February 2013) and technical director at Sagaponack’s Wölffer Estate winery, as their new president last week. Roth was one of several officers appointed to hold positions for two-year terms within the organization. These newly elected leaders assumed their responsibilities on June 1, and will serve through June 2015.
“Merliance has come a long way since we started in 2005,” Roth said in a statement, adding, “With collective reviews of our merlots and merlot-based blends in national publications, annual consultations with international oenologists and elegant wine-focused events like Harvest East End to our credit, we are spreading the word that Long Island is home to world-class wines, and that merlot is king among them. I am proud to work alongside some of our region’s top quality producers to keep this drumbeat going.”
Raphael winemaker (since April 2013) Anthony Nappa was elected as Merliance’s new vice president and Clovis Point managing partner and owner Hal Ginsburg is staying on as treasurer for an additional year, extending his first two-year term. Winemaking consultant Gilles Martin will remain as the organization’s technical advisor, which is not an elected position.
Merliance is an alliance of Long Island producers of quality merlot and merlot-based blends. Founded in 2005, Merliance joins premium wine estates committed to developing quality standards in the production of classically styled merlot and red blends in which merlot is the dominant component. Member-winemakers gather annually to taste and marry barrel samples of their wines to create an eponymous blend that defines the characteristics of Long Island merlot, demonstrates the strength of their terroir, and symbolizes the fruits of the winemakers’ cooperation.
Visit longislandmerlot.com/merliance to learn more.