A season of talks and tastings

with winemakers, brewers, researchers, and culinary innovators

Welcome to the Robert Mondavi Institute

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science's mission is to enhance public understanding of wine, brewing, and food sciences. Our events are open to the public and aim to highlight research, innovation, teaching and other programs that focus on food and beverage. 

The Robert Mondavi Institute complex includes the Department of Viticulture and Enology, the Department of Food Science and Technology, and the UC Davis Olive Center. These areas include the Teaching and Research Winery, Anheuser Busch InBev Brewery, teaching vineyard, California Processing Tomato Industry Pilot Plant, Food Innovation Lab, Milk Processing Laboratory, sensory science laboratories, Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater, and the Good Life Garden.

Virtual Tour Highlight

The winery at the Robert Mondavi Institute is the first LEED-platinum-certified winery in the world and is right next door to the teaching vineyard. Their state-of-the-art facilities offer undergraduate and graduate students hands-on opportunities for learning and research in viticulture and enology. You'll also peek into the Special Collections room of special wines! 

If you are unable to visit the Robert Mondavi Institute in person, you can watch our virtual tours to see the innovative spaces, hear about the history, and learn about the programs, students and faculty research.

Latest Blog Posts

October 2025: Letter from the Director

It has been a whirlwind since our last newsletter, with multiple sold-out events and news to share.

Last Saturday, we hosted our 12th Annual TASTE Food and Wine Tasting. It was a beautifully cool fall evening filled with camaraderie, great wine, delicious food and lively conversation. We are grateful to every guest who helped raise funds to support public scholarship, highlighting food and beverage innovation and research at UC Davis.

Savor: Is Wine Healthy?

The Robert Mondavi Institute’s sold-out Savor Series event, hosted in partnership with the UC Davis Library, brought together a panel of experts in wine chemistry, cultural history, human medicine, and nutritional metabolism to tackle one of today’s most debated questions: Is wine healthy? What emerged was a fascinating conversation where science, robust culture, and history converged around a single glass.

Pati Jinich: Connecting Cultures through Food

Nearly 800 food lovers gathered for a special conversation with James Beard Award-winning chef and Emmy-nominated host Pati Jinich. She is the culinary force behind Pati’s Mexican Table, La Frontera, and her newest series, Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana. Throughout the night, Pati captivated the audience with her bright-eyed curiosity, boisterous laugh, and infectious energy, sharing personal anecdotes that had everyone laughing while revealing her lifelong passion for cooking.