Robin Epperson-McCarthy

While studying for her MCATs, Robin Epperson-McCarthy (a North Fork Long Island native) caught wind of a gig through her sailing circuit that would use 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 six 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. In 2014, she founded her own label, Saltbird Cellars. Robin is also co-founder of the North Fork Wine Trail (a nonprofit organization that promotes local wineries) and consults on restaurant beverage programs and boutique winemaking. Most recently, Robin won the prestigious Les Dames d’Escoffier International Legacy Award (LDEI) for her work in wine and hospitality.