A quarter-century after its founding, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is a place of groundbreaking discoveries, collaborations and educational offerings attracting top-notch students, scholars and researchers.
It’s starting to feel like fall as the UC Davis campus comes alive again, with students moving back and starting classes next week. The new academic year brings new programs and annual favorites as we kick off a year-long celebration.
Last month, we lost a dear friend of the Robert Mondavi Institute, UC Davis, and the wine industry. Walter “Walt” Klenz passed away on July 20, 2026, at the age of 81. Walt invested more than 50 years in the global wine industry, earning a well-deserved reputation as a humble, trustworthy, and kind leader.
We are deeply saddened to share that Walter “Walt” Klenz passed away peacefully on July 20, 2026 at the age of 81. He was a champion of the wine industry and a longtime supporter of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. Our thoughts are with his wife, Sylvia, and their family during this time.
This year’s selection of student-made and UC Davis-labeled wines is now available. The next sale date is Friday, June 26, from 12:00 to 2:00 pm, with more dates throughout the summer and fall. Six wines were created by viticulture and enology students as part of the post-fermentation class held each spring.
The University of California, Davis, Department of Viticulture and Enology will begin this year’s wine sales June 16 from noon to 4 p.m. The wines are made by students, faculty and staff from grapes they grow on campus and at the Oakville research station in Napa Valley. Six new student-made wines will be released as well as three new UC Davis wines.
The UC Davis Olive Center is releasing a new olive oil that’s as meaningful as it is tasty. “Friends Blend” will be available for purchase starting this week and the community is invited to get a free taste during Picnic Day, a beloved campus event that will be held April 18.
Long before Napa, Bordeaux, or Tuscany became synonymous with great wine, people cultivated grapes and fermented wine.
At a recent Sips and Bites event, UC Davis Ph.D. candidate Arpa Boghozian guided guests through that deeper history. The tasting explored four ancient wine cultures, Lebanon, Greece, Georgia, and Armenia, pairing each wine with the traditions and techniques that shaped it.
