The Robert Mondavi Institute and the whole UC Davis campus have been buzzing with activity in the last week.

In partnership with the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and the Department of Viticulture and Enology, we hosted a UC Davis Alumni Wine Showcase for a sell-out crowd! Thank you to everyone who came out for a beautiful evening of wine tasting and community. All the generous wineries have UC Davis alums from the viticulture and enology programs, and I enjoyed hearing their stories and memories of their time in Davis. We are grateful to our on-campus and off-campus partners who made this collaboration possible. If you'd like alumni wines sent directly to you, check out the Aggie Uncorked wine club.

On Saturday, the 111th UC Davis Picnic Day welcomed thousands of visitors, and it was wonderful to see the RMI filled with families tasting olives and olive oil, picking up free grapevines, touring the winery, learning about the science of ice cream, and participating in a cookie sensory study. It's always great to see the departments, centers, faculty, researchers, and students showcasing their work passionately and enthusiastically.

If you came on campus for either event, you may have noticed some new plantings in the RMI vineyard that don't look like grapevines. A block of agave was recently planted for teaching and research into this emerging drought-tolerant crop. The campus also welcomed growers, distillers, researchers and advocates to the 3rd annual California Agave Symposium hosted by the California Agave Council. You can read about agave in the California Bountiful article and on the UC Davis Agave Center website.

An upcoming event you do not want to miss is the 24th annual Winkler Dinner on May 24 by the Davis Enology and Viticulture Organization (DEVO). They are a student-led organization that helps bridge the gap between their academic pursuits and entry into the wine industry with internships, networking, hands-on learning and much more. You can read about the history and impact of DEVO on our blog. Please watch the DEVO video to see how your support helps students.

In other big news, the UC Davis Olive Center has released a new line of table olive products that support their work. In collaboration with Musco Family Olive Co., the center offers classic black, fresh-cured green, Kalamata, and martini olives. All Olive Center products, including award-winning olive oil, are available in-person or online from the UC Davis Store.

We are working on our next Savor event on May 29. AI technology is prevalent in food production and agriculture, but can AI predict if you'll like a new food product? We'll explore how it can help develop brand-new foods. Save the date, and we'll share details as soon as registration opens.

Finally, thank you to everyone who made a gift on Give Day! Your support unlocked a $5,000 give challenge from Wayne and Jacque Bartholomew, long-time Friends of the Robert Mondavi Institute. To become a friend or give a gift, visit the support page.

Thank you for being an RMI supporter!

Sincerely,

Ned Spang
Director, Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology

View the entire April 2025 newsletter.