Long Island Merlot Alliance Appoints Robin Epperson-McCarthy as Research Fellow
The Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) has hired Robin Epperson-McCarthy as a research fellow in order to further advance its reorganization and expansion plans.
LIMA is a trade organization that strives to educate the media and consumers about the quality of merlot and merlot-based blends that are produced in Long Island. Participating wineries include Sherwood House Vineyards, Clovis Point, T’Jara Vineyards, McCall Wines, Lieb Cellars, Raphael and Wölffer Estate Vineyard.
Each LIMA-member winery, whose wines come from across the Hamptons and the North Fork, contributes a merlot to make “Merliance,” a wine blend of 100% merlot. The sale of Merliance wine funds the activities of LIMA, from research initiatives to events.
LIMA has now taken the opportunity to hire Robin Epperson-McCarthy to work closely with the members in order to promote research that will be instrumental in the advancement of the Long Island appellation.
McCarthy is a Wine Consultant and Certified Sommelier. Her most recent position is as Senior Sommelier and Director of Education at Roanoke Vineyards in Riverhead. For over ten years, McCarthy has traveled the world honing her skills in various aspects of the wine industry such as serving as a Lab Director, Cellar Hand, Harvest Assistant, Tasting Room Manager and Assistant Winemaker. She has worked alongside many notable winemakers in New Zealand, Australia, California and Long Island.
Among the several research projects scheduled for 2014, McCarthy will also be hosting a series of group tastings featuring merlot and merlot based blend wines from Long Island, California, Bordeaux, and beyond. The goal is to further qualify the characters that are unique to Long Island merlot. In addition, McCarthy will be building a historical record for the past twenty years in order for vineyard managers to better recognize trends influencing the growing conditions in the East End of Long Island
“We are excited to have Robin on board to lead the research initiatives of the alliance,” said Roman Roth, the president of LIMA and partner/winemaker of Wölffer Estate Vineyard. “Her experience and commitment to the Long Island appellation makes her an ideal candidate to quantify and analyze the data that is imperative for the wineries of Long Island to continue to advance as one of the top growing regions of merlot in the world.”
For more information about LIMA and Long Island merlot, visit www.longislandmerlot.com