by AMY ZAVATTO on JULY 16th, 2024

This article is brought to you by YOUR LOCAL EAST END EXPERT, ALEXIS MEADOWS

The Winery: Saltbird Cellars
The Winemaker: Robin Epperson-McCarthy 
The Wine: 2020 Saltbird Cellars Merlot, 13.1% abv
The Price: $27
The Grapes: 100% merlot

Growing up on the North Fork, winemaker Robin Epperson-McCarthy was a science kid who dreamed of becoming a doctor. But a funny thing happened on the way to the MCATs. She got a late summer job to earn some extra cash working a harvest with custom crush company Premium Wine Group in Mattituck and a whole new side of science opened up to her: winemaking.

“The job was supposed to end in November, then that became December, and that became six and a half years,” she says with a laugh.

And thank goodness. Epperson-McCarthy is one of the region’s bright stars in its new generation of young winemakers. From the fresh, vibrant sauvignon blanc that launched her label Saltbird Cellars, to one-off experiments she creates for her wine club in cahoots with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s grape whisperer Alice Wise, to red blends that will make you swoon, her wines turn heads. But it’s through her true love, merlot, that her thoughtful work really shines. 

“Though the 2020 season started out cool and overcast, the peak of summer had many hot, dry days that led to lovely ripe fruit. This particular vineyard in Southold is right up against the Peconic Bay — which shapes North Fork terroir — and these vines consistently produce a densely concentrated merlot,” she says. “The result? A mouth-watering, brambly merlot with fat and silky tannins.”

What’s in your glass: “This 100% North Fork merlot is what the grape can be, and why I chose to focus on it here,” Epperson-McCarthy says. Whole berry carbonic maceration kicked off the fermentation, along with extended skin contact to really pull out the beautiful vibrant hue here. The wine hangs out for 19 months in both neutral and second-year oak barrels, resulting in a merlot awash with ripe berry and bramble aromatics and flavor, coupled with the polished, velvety tannins and a finish reminiscent of decadent dark chocolate. 

Pairs with: We were digging this wine alongside some barbecued chicken, but Epperson-McCarthy’s suggestion is even more fun: “S’Mores made with good dark chocolate, homemade marshmallows (if you have the time, homemade marshmallows are worth the effort!), and Honey Maid graham crackers.”

To hold or not to hold: Although it’s showing off its beautiful blueberry and beach plum fruit notes now, the 2020 Saltbird Merlot will easily hang on for the next five to 10 years before it hits its peak. “It will start to gain the savory umami character that is a signature of Long Island merlot,” says Epperson-McCarthy. “This is why I love merlot.” 

SALTBIRD CELLARS’ MERLOT. (PHOTO CREDIT: DOUG YOUNG)