Robert Mondavi is legendary in the development of the California wine industry. In 1966, he established the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley with the goal of producing wines that would rival the finest European wines. It was the first major winery built in Napa Valley following the repeal of the Prohibition Act in 1933.

In the late 1960s, Mr. Mondavi pioneered many fine winemaking techniques, including cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks, and the use of French oak barrels. He also initiated blind tastings in the Napa Valley, allowing consumers and the trade to evaluate wine quality.

Mr. Mondavi has long believed that great wines should be recognized internationally. In the 1970s, the Robert Mondavi Winery was among the first to export premium California wine. This international outlook also led to partnerships with prominent wine families of the world, embracing the belief that great wines result from the quality of the soil, climate, and the people who create them.

“The idea was to take our different cultures and traditions, along with the best materials and know-how from Bordeaux and California, to create a wine with its own style, character, and breeding,” said Mondavi. Opus One was the result of this partnership with Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

An uncompromising perfectionist, Mr. Mondavi has been guided by the belief that, “If you wish to succeed, you must listen to yourself, to your own heart, and have the courage to go your own way.”

In 2001, Mr. Mondavi made a $25 million gift to UC Davis for the establishment of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.

“UC Davis has been a true partner in building the international reputation of the California wine industry,” Mondavi said. “California wines are equal to the world’s best in quality, diversity, and excitement. We are now leading the way with UC Davis graduates at the helm of many of our finest wineries, Robert Mondavi Winery included. We are greatly honored to support UC Davis with new facilities that ensure its position as the world’s leading educational center for viticulture, enology, and food science.”

Robert's wife, Margrit Biever Mondavi, who joined the winery in 1967, is vice president of cultural affairs. She shares her husband's passion for uniting wine with fine art, music, and culinary artistry.

Clare M. Hasler was named the founding executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California, Davis in February 2004.

Hasler is an international authority on "functional foods" -- foods that provide specific health benefits that may reduce risk of chronic disease, such as lowering the risk of heart disease or cancer, in addition to meeting basic nutritional needs. From 1992-2000, she served as the founding director of the Functional Foods for Health Program at the University of Illinois.

As executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute, Hasler leads programming and vision-development efforts. She also will serve as the university's primary liaison to the wine and food industries.

Hasler holds a dual doctoral degree in environmental toxicology and human nutrition from Michigan State University and a master's degree in nutrition from the Pennsylvania State University. She also earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. From 1990 to 1992, Hasler served as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute.

Prior to joining UC Davis, Hasler was an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has published over 50 research papers, invited reviews or book chapters and is the editor of the 2005 book: “The Regulation of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals-A Global Perspective” from Blackwell Publishers.

Hasler is a member of a number of societies, including American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists and Sigma Xi. In 1998 she was recognized by Self magazine as one of the "Top 25 Food Influentials."

Executive Director
Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
University of California, Davis
129 Cruess Hall
One Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616-8598

(530) 754-6349 (office)
(530) 752-4759 (fax)
cmhasler@ucdavis.edu

The Robert Mondavi Institute Honorary Board is composed of a distinguished group of thought-leaders whose expertise and industry leadership will represent, inspire, and honor the institute's vision -- "Enhancing the quality of life through wine and food sciences" -- for future generations.

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

ANN AND GORDON GETTY

AGUSTIN HUNEEUS

FRITZ MAYTAG

ROBERT MONDAVI AND MARGRIT BIEVER MONDAVI

PAUL MONTRONE

WOLFGANG PUCK

MARTIN YAN

Clare M. Hasler
Executive Director
Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Robert Powell (chair)
Professor and Chair
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
College of Letters and Science

Charles Bamforth
Professor and Chair
Department of Food Science and Technology
Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Carolyn De La Pena
Director, Davis Humanities Institute
Professor, American Studies
College of Letters and Science

Lovell (Tu) Jarvis
Associate Dean
Division of Human Sciences
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Dave Mills
Professor, Viticulture and Enology
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Michael Parrella
Associate Dean
Division of Agricultural Sciences
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Robert Smiley
Professor
Graduate School of Management

Andrew L. Waterhouse
Interim Chair and Professor
Department of Viticulture & Enology
John E. Kinsella Chair in Food, Nutrition and Health
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Carl Winter
Professor
Department of Food Science & Technology
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences