Eric Hagyard of Pott Wine was first entranced by alcoholic beverages at a young age, fascinated by the labels adorning the bottles while shopping with his father. Years later, while visiting his sister in California, he had a sensory epiphany tasting wine in the beautiful Napa Valley. Obsessed, he studied wine both from books and bottles.

After graduating with a degree in Mathematics, he landed his first job in the industry. For a year and a half, he managed a fine wine shop in Middletown, CT where he continued to explore the vinous pleasures. Lavish tastings put on by importers and distributors afforded many opportunities to meet winemakers from around the world.

Following his gut and the good vibe he sensed from all these winemakers, Eric moved West. He got his foot in the door as a harvest intern at Crushpad, a unique winery in San Francisco. He stayed at Crushpad for the following year, working in the lab. Next stop: New Zealand, for a three-month position at a very small winery on the South Island.

This past fall, returning to California for the harvest, Eric landed an internship with Aaron Pott. Now, as Aaron’s assistant winemaker he does all the grunt work for Pott Wine and Chester’s Anvil, and helps with the Blackbird, Bello Family, and Seven Stones projects.