December 2025: Letter from the Director
Winter Wishes & 2026 Events
It seems like we just began 2025, and yet here we are entering winter while looking back at a year full of memories.
Our most recent program, Tasting in the Dark Featuring UC Davis-Made Wines, was a sell-out event! Dr. Hoby Wedler led attendees through a sensory exploration of wine while blindfolded. Our student writer, Kaylianne Jordan, did an excellent job capturing the engaging atmosphere and the knowledge Hoby shared during the evening. If you missed the event, please read her article.
You can also read Michael Mondavi on 60 Years of Booms, Busts, and What's Next for Wine for a recap of the last Walt Klenz Lecture and A Historic Reunion Honors Michael Lewis and the Legacy of UC Davis Brewing covering a historic brewing day with all three UC Davis brewing professors, spanning six decades of teaching.
Now is the time to get out your calendars and pencil in our events happening in the next three months. Save the dates for these upcoming programs:
January 28, 2026: Savor - Coffee Unfiltered: Thinking Outside the Cup
For an estimated two-thirds of Americans, coffee is a daily ritual, but the factors that bring this universal drink into consumers’ cups are anything but single-origin. A complex blend of bean growing, market distribution, roasting science, brewing technique and changing consumer tastes is transforming coffee culture in the United States. From supply chain challenges and higher prices to the shift toward customizable, convenient drinks, the specialty coffee ecosystem is venturing into new territory.
February 4, 2026: Sips and Bites - The Chemistry of Distinctive Wines
Discover how winemakers create distinctive wines, such as sherry, aged oak Chardonnay, or New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc. We will taste six wines and reveal the chemical compounds responsible for their distinctive flavors as well as the grape varieties or winemaking practices that produce those substances.
February 24, 2026: Sips and Bites - Ancient World Wines: Stories, Traditions and Timeless Terroirs
This tasting highlights wines from some of the world’s oldest winemaking regions, where viticulture is deeply intertwined with history, culture, and daily life. By exploring wines from Armenia, Greece, Georgia, and Lebanon, participants will experience a range of traditional and contemporary styles that reflect thousands of years of winemaking heritage.
March 7, 2026: 2nd Annual Alumni Wine Showcase
The UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology is world-renowned, with many Cal Aggie Alumni working throughout the wine industry. Join us for a showcase to sample wines from select alumni winemakers and wineries. You can also find out more about the Cal Aggie Alumni Association alumni wine club, Aggies Uncorked.
Tickets for all these events will go on sale soon. As a newsletter subscriber, you will be among the first to be notified.
As we reach the end of 2025, I want to pause and express our deepest gratitude to our friends and supporters who continue to show up and support our work. Your presence, encouragement, and generosity make our programs possible and meaningful. The high-quality events and lectures you enjoy are sustained through philanthropy and the remarkable support of the Friends of the RMI. There is still time to make a lasting impact with a year-end gift—your generosity truly helps us flourish. If you feel inspired, please visit our Give webpage .
We are incredibly proud to serve this community and look forward to a vibrant 2026 filled with educational, delicious, and joyful opportunities to connect.
On behalf of all of us at the Robert Mondavi Institute, we wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Cheers!
Ned Spang
Director, Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology