Winemaker Eric Donaldson moved to Lodi, California after traveling the country to learn and perfect his craft. LVVR started out as a modest dazzling project for the Vizcarra sisters and has subsequently expanded into a much bigger project.

At Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Eric received his degree. He started his career in the Ohio wine sector after graduating, spending the first few years in a few wineries near Cincinnati. Eric’s early years were crucial to his ability to fully comprehend the winery laboratory and cellar. After leaving the Cincinnati region, he continued working in a winery close to Cleveland.

Ultimately, Eric came to the conclusion that it would be wise to extend his perspective and discover what other viticultural regions had to offer. This was another another learning opportunity all by itself. He broadened his expertise by learning a range of methods and styles. Eric’s next stop after Sonoma County was New Mexico. Working with desert grapes gave him insight into where he will end up next. In New Mexico, Eric handled a lot of sparkling wine. The experience gave me a lot of knowledge about hotter climates and how they affect sparkling wines.

Here in Lodi, California, Eric will make his last trip. He chose Lodi because of its milder weather and affordable startup costs. Prior to founding EMD Winemaking, Eric worked at a sizable winery, where he once more learned a plethora of information about new tools and techniques.

The UC Davis Extension Viticulture and Enology Program is another program that Eric has finished.