Alie Shaper and Robin Epperson-McCarthy are fiercely committed to transparent and quality winemaking. They keep production small, and have long-standing relationships with our partner vineyards. Their growers are their friends, every harvest, they work side-by-side with them in the vineyards, hand-selecting premium fruit for their wines. Ali and Robin believe in caring for our planet and nurturing the future of our agricultural ecosystem.

Born and raised on Long Island, Alie studied engineering at Cornell University and spent a few postgraduate years working in Silicon Valley.  The rich and complex world of California wines beckoned her to the vineyards on weekends, and she soon realized her passion for the wine industry.  Upon returning to her New York roots, Alie began working in wine retail, hospitality, and marketing while obtaining her Advanced Certificate for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust of London, and then training in winemaking at Premium Wine Group (in the heart of Long Island’s North Fork AVA.  In 2006, she founded the wine label Brooklyn Oenology (‘BOE’) and its eponymous Williamsburg tasting room, which was heralded as New York City’s “first urban winery”.  The BOE Tasting Room won many accolades up until its closing in late 2016.  When Alie relocated to Long Island Wine Country in 2014, she founded two more labels: ‘As If Wines’, released in 2016, and ‘Haywater Cove’, released in 2017.  From 2014 through 2017 she served on the board of the Long Island Wine Council.  She also began her private label development and wine consulting business, Alie Shaper Fine Wines, and became the winemaker for Croteaux Vineyards in 2015.

While studying for her MCATs, Robin (a North Fork native) caught wind of a gig through her sailing circuit that would utilize her background in science and sounded interesting. Working long days at a wine lab during harvest launched her career in winemaking: she served as the lab director for Premium Wine Group for 6 years during which she worked harvests that took her to California, New Zealand, Tasmania, and Australia! Back on the North Fork, she served as the assistant winemaker at Martha Clara Vineyards (now known as RGNY Vineyards) and as Senior Sommelier and Director of Education at Roanoke Vineyards, and in 2014 founded her label Saltbird Cellars. Robin is also co-founder of the North Fork Wine Trail (a non-profit that promotes local wineries) consults on restaurant beverage program and boutique wine-making. Most recently, Robin won the prestigious Les Dames d’Escoffier International Legacy Award (LDEI), recognized for her work in wine & hospitality.

Wines

As if Gratitude Gewurztraminer Petillant naturel Sparkling

Broken Land Gewurztraminer Orange Skin Fermented

Haywater Cove Cabernet Franc Rose

Haywater Cove Chardonnay

Haywater Cove Merlot