Ian Shapen & Leyla Ersan: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Ian Shapen and Leyla Ersan of Horse Devours. In this interview, Ian and Leyla talk about meeting at the University of Oregon, getting into the wine industry, and later starting their own label.Leyla talks about growing up familiar with wine and becoming more interested during college. After graduating, she went to Day Wines for a tasting and loved it so much she asked if they were hiring. She now acts as the general manager there, completing a variety of tasks depending on what is needed.Ian discusses attending the University of Oregon to get a degree in Digital Arts with a minor in Business. He met Leyla while at college and eventually joined her at Day Wines during harvest. In addition to now working at Antica Terra, he works as a freelance graphic designer.Later in the interview, Ian and Leyla talk about starting their own label together, Horse Devours. Thanks to Day Wines, they have connections to fruit growers and are able to utilize the winemaking facilities onsite. They also talk about the delayed gratification of starting to see their wines available in stores and restaurants.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Day Wines in Dundee on January 17, 2026.