I'm honored to address you today as the new director of the Robert Mondavi Institute. If you missed the announcement, let me share my vision for the institute and background.

College is a formative time for students, setting the foundation for years to come. It is a time of discovery, whether it be new passions, friends, or opportunities. Personally, I discovered my love for grapes and wine at UC Davis, which I had never been exposed to growing up in Los Angeles. I ended up switching my major and pursuing a career in the wine industry because of my exposure at UC Davis and the subsequent uncovering of a passion.

Only two months are left in the academic year, and the campus is buzzing with spring energy!

It has often been said that great wine is made in the vineyard, and it is very true that high-quality grapes are a fundamental ingredient for producing excellent wine. However, the people who tend to the vineyard are often overlooked.

It may still be raining in Northern California, but the winter quarter is ending for students with finals next week, and the trees on campus are starting to bloom! Spring ushers in a busy time with many intriguing events.

The Robert Mondavi Institute started the year with two sold-out Sips and Bites events. It was wonderful to see the Sensory Theater packed with attendees!

Did you know that mushrooms are technically not plants? I certainly didn’t before I attended Sips and Bites: Fascinated by Fungi at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science featuring Dr. Gordon Walker, UC Davis alumnus and fungi expert extraordinaire.

2023 started with extreme weather in Northern California with prolonged flooding, power outages, and many fallen trees on campus and in surrounding communities. We welcome the much-needed rain but are also grateful for sunny skies this week as we recover.

The holidays arrived quickly this year, and while it is a time for reflection and celebrations with family, we are also busy planning a great line-up of events for 2023.

Last Saturday, our TASTE food and wine-tasting fundraiser welcomed more than 300 people to a beautiful evening in the Good Life Garden. It featured some of the best local and regional wineries, breweries, restaurants, and UC Davis centers and initiatives. Our sold-out event raised $9,000 for the UC Davis Student Farm! We are proud to support their work and encourage you to visit their website to learn more and donate directly.

When a consumer walks down the grocery store wine aisle, their eyes are simultaneously bombarded with a multitude of colors and pictures on labels, with each label representing one of the many brands trying to reach the consumer. Competition abounds, so brands attempt to grab consumers’ attention quickly. There is one wine company that stands out. It’s not because of fancy embossed labels or contorted glass bottles; rather, O’Neill Vintners and Distillers stands out because of its commitment to sustainability.

The UC Davis campus is buzzing with energy with the return of students and the start of the fall quarter. We saw unprecedented rainfall this week, which brought a feeling of a fresh new beginning and a change of season.

Fall also ushers in a busy season of educational and entertaining events with more in-person opportunities to attend. We will also have live broadcast virtual options for most experiences if you join from out of the area.

Even with the high temperatures this week, you can feel fall approaching. The grape harvest has started in the teaching vineyard at the Robert Mondavi Institute, and the campus is gearing up for the return of students next month.

Shopping at the Davis Farmers Market is a classic Saturday morning activity for Davis locals and visitors alike. Showcasing freshly picked, vibrant fruits and vegetables, local farmers line up stalls to market their produce to the community and connect with consumers. These farmers come from small farms, the topic of the recent Savor lecture, hosted by the Robert Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine, titled “Sustaining Small Farms.”

You may have heard via the Viticulture and Enology newsletter that I will retire as a professor at the end of this month. Attending the commencement ceremonies was especially poignant as I walked across the stage with my last Ph.D. student and Master’s student. I enjoyed working with enology students the most, helping them find their way, and making contacts for internships and full-time positions that helped advance their career and personal goals.