two winemakers, one collective.
Our boutique brands are a chronicle of stories, some which are the artistic expression of one winemaker, while others are creative collaborations. Each story is inspired by a specific time and place in Alie and Robin’s journeys, but are bound together by their professional partnership, longtime friendship, and passion for New York wines.
Chapter 1 : Brooklyn Oenology
BY ALIE SHAPER | WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN | SUMMER OF 2006
Brooklyn Oenology is an ode to the borough’s culture and inspired by the desire to bring New Yorkers’ wines from their own state. Alie expands on the concept of terroir — how a particular region’s climate, soils, and aspects influence wine and giving it a sense of place — by incorporating pieces by Brooklyn artists on every label. BOE is comprised of 14 vintages, each showcasing the very best of New York state’s grape growing regions.
A little history: Brooklyn Oenology wines were launched in tandem with Alie’s eponymous tasting room in Williamsburg. The BOE Tasting Room was heralded as New York’s “first urban winery” and not only was a home to Alie’s wine, but a cultural center, hosting art shows, literary readings, and retailing regional whiskeys, ciders, and treats by local purveyors. Alie made the decision to relocate in 2016, closing BOE, but our imprint on the neighborhood remains strongly woven into the fiber of Chronicle Wines. In 2021, we launched Social Club cans, a reincarnation of BOE’s Social Club wines!
BEHIND THE NAME AND DESIGN : Brooklyn is the birthplace and home of this brand while Oenology, pronounce “EN-ology” is the Greek term defined as the study of the art and science behind winemaking. Every new vintage features a peelable label showcasing work by local artists, many of whom Alie has collaborated with on past vintages and are friends of BOE!
Chapter 2: SALTBIRD CELLARS
BY ROBIN EPPERSON-McCARTHY | MATTITUCK, NEW YORK | 2014
Before launching her own label, Robin spent her formative years honing her craft by working harvests in the Awatere & Marlborough Valleys of New Zealand, the Tamar River Valley in Tasmania, and the Macedon Ranges in Australia. Her deep roots on Long Island and travels on the other side of the globe are expressed this focused series, where she applies the methods from her travels to the best blocks of North Fork grapes. Saltbird Cellars represents the freedom to follow your passion, no matter where it takes you.
BEHIND THE NAME AND DESIGN : Every Wednesday, you can find Robin racing in a regatta along the Peconic Bay. Having grown up along the coast, sailing is in her blood. The name “Saltbird” a tribute to her connection to the sea; an imagined creature evoking her love for maritime life. The bottle artwork is hand painted in ink and watercolor by Nadira Vlaun.
Chapter 3 : AS IF WINES
BY ALIE SHAPER | CUTCHOGUE, NEW YORK | SUMMER 2014
This deeply personal brand was founded when Alie relocated from Brooklyn to the North Fork and began a new life chapter. Making wine has been an impetus for self-discovery, and this series is a meditation on all life’s possibilities, especially when one opens herself up to new experiences and change. These premium wines realize the highest potential of North Fork fruit through a four labels, each monikers for the virtues we carry through life’s journey: Serendipity (white), Persistence (red), Courage (rosé), and Gratitude (a white pétillant naturel)..
BEHIND THE NAME AND DESIGN : This name combines Alie’s initials with if, a word that has been a guiding principle in her career. By listening to the answers if summons — what if, if only — life has led her to places she never imagined, yet exactly where she should be. The label design self-designed by Alie. .
Chapter 4 : HAYWATER COVE
by ALIE SHAPER | SUMMER OF 2017 | PECONIC BAY, NEW YORK
There are secret places tucked away off of the Peconic Bay, where land and sea meet and winds off the Atlantic slow to a gentle breeze. It is where one can kick back, relax by the lazy tides, salty air, and sunshine. Haywater Cove happy tribute to our home on the North Fork, our non-vintage wines for the quotidien and every season: a rosé (with a serious, year-round following!), chardonnay and merlot.
BEHIND THE NAME AND DESIGN : Haywater Cove is a real place, a little sanctuary where three creeks meet at the mouth of a harbor in Peconic Bay. The label is based off a photo Alie took from a dock at her home.