February 2025: Letter from the Director
Vineyards and Taste Testing
It has only been a month since our last newsletter, but there is so much news to share from both departments and across the UC Davis campus.
For those who knew and admired Anita Oberholster, there will be a celebration of life on Monday, May 12, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm to honor and remember her. Please join us at the UC Davis Conference Center to share memories and stories or join the livestream if you cannot attend in person.
One of the unique Department of Viticulture and Enology locations is, without a doubt, Oakville Station. This 40-acre plot in the prestigious Oakville area of Napa Valley is home to a lab, research facility and two vineyards. The vineyard grows and harvests grapes for use in winery classes, research projects and wine production. Read more about Oakville Station on the RMI blog.
A recent study published by researchers in the Department of Food Science and Technology shows that AI modeling can significantly reduce the time needed to identify unwanted yeasts that can spoil foods. This type of modeling could lead to better food safety for producers and consumers.
Sensory science crosses over both departments and relies on members of the public to test products, most often tasting food or drink and sharing their preferences with researchers. I encourage you to read the article Sensory Tasting 101 by our student writer, Gwen Gonzalez, a food science senior. She explains sensory science and tells you what to expect when participating in a taste test. You can also read how the Delarue Lab tested popular Korean street food in their sensory immersive room.
Other recent articles include an Atlas Obscura piece on the UC Davis Coffee Center and how Beaulieu Vineyard donated historic archives to the UC Davis Library to help preserve BV's 125-year legacy.
Our Sips and Bites: Caviar and Sparkling Wine event with Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, Domaine Carneros, and UC Davis aquaculture expert Dr. Jackson Gross sold out in just two days! If you missed the tickets, check out the Cal Aggie Alumni event, Art and Science of Blending Wine. It's a one-of-a-kind seminar and dinner where attendees will do hands-on wine blending.
I hope you enjoy the articles and learn something new. Share our newsletter with friends and colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.
Thank you,
Ned Spang
Director, Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology