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TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT WINEMAKING September 2017 WINES&VINES 57 openings and doorways in the walls of the former concrete tanks, turning them into small wine-production spaces and tasting rooms. The complex was called Vino Piazza. Several Lodi startup wineries began here before moving into their own facilities including Macchia, Stama Winery and Watts Winery. The owner of Vino Piazza later lost the property during the recession and mortgage crisis, and it came under new ownership in 2012. Tenancy at the facility declined during the recession and ownership change, but it is on the upswing again. The facility has federal, state and local permits, provides bonded cold storage and has interior and courtyard spaces for events and private parties. Four tasting rooms are open Friday through Sunday. Space is available for more wineries, and a bistro is scheduled to open. LVVR's tasting room is located in a brick- enclosed space that housed the original win- ery's brandy-distilling boiler, with remnants of piping visible through the brick walls. Donaldson installed two granite-topped bars and set up a small outdoor courtyard with seating for customers to enjoy wines sold by the glass or bottle. Donaldson said of the facility, "I was able to walk in and have electrical infrastructure and drains in place for winemaking, which can cost a lot of money to install. For a person starting a winery, to walk in and have the infrastructure we have here, plus visitor facili- ties, it's a great incubator property for small, startup wineries." New and used equipment Working at small and large wineries introduced Donaldson to a wide range of processes, pro- duction equipment and suppliers. He learned how to improvise, adapt equipment and keep it running to get the job done. He began acquir- ing equipment in 2015 that includes some new, but mostly used equipment. "This is how a lot of small wineries start-up," Donaldson observed. "I've pieced this together on a limited budget, and nothing looks too pretty, but I'm happy about where it has taken me." People who want to create showcase winer- ies would not likely purchase used equipment, but going the new route is expensive, especially for a new winery. "Appearance is often what suffers the most on used machines, but ma- chine functionality is where I put the empha- sis," Donaldson said. "If I can find equipment that performs to spec, if I can test my crown caps and get the proper seal, get proper cork compression, and I'm able to bottle a stable product, then I'll ride the older equipment until I have the budget to expand and upgrade." The winemaker locates and buys used equip- ment from various sources: word of mouth from industry contacts, industry classified ads and non-industry online sources. The latter include BidSpotter.com, a site specializing in industrial and commercial machinery auctions, and more general websites such as Craigslist. He also sources equipment from California Food Ma- chinery, a Lodi-based seller of pre-owned food and beverage industry equipment. Donaldson says good deals on used equip- ment can be found, but he advises due diligence and research before buying. He tries to buy local when possible, which allows for equipment KEY POINTS A young winemaker from Ohio started a winery specializing in bottle-fermented sparkling wine in a leased space on a tight budget. Having worked at LangeTwins winery and a wine bar in Lodi, Calif., Eric Donaldson said the region offered a good grape supply, affordable facilities and local connections. Donaldson's firm, LVVR Sparkling Cellars, leases 4,000 square feet of production space within a winery co-op called The Tuscan Wine Village. Fill your bottle selection with... Fill your bottle selection with... a a c w i n e . c o m a a c w i n e . c o m All American Containers Local Inventor y | S uperior S election | E xper t Advice Windsor, CA • San Leandro, CA • Kalama, WA