March 2026: Letter from the Director
Alumni Wine & Alumni Beer Showcases
Students are finishing their finals and next week is spring break! I always look forward to the spring quarter and am excited to share two events that showcase UC Davis alumni.
This year, we have added a new event, the UC Davis Alumni Beer Showcase on April 17. The brewing program is one of the oldest in the United States, with graduates throughout the beer industry. We are excited to invite you to an evening highlighting UC Davis brewers and breweries who will share their passion and their beer with you. Alumni Beer Showcase tickets are now on sale.
Tickets for our 2nd Annual Alumni Wine Showcase are also on sale now. Join us on May 16 for an evening of amazing wines. With more than 20 participants, you’ll be able to taste student-made wines and offerings from select UC Davis alumni winemakers and wineries like Paul Hobbs Winery, Honig Vineyards and Winery, William Selyem Winery, Andis Wines and many more. Early bird pricing ends on May 1, so get your tickets soon
Another upcoming event for the wine enthusiast is the 25th Annual Winkler Dinner on May 9, hosted 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 DEVO's history and impact on our blog, and watch the DEVO video to see how your support helps students.
Our Sips and Bites series always sells out quickly, but thanks to our student writer Kaylianne Jordan, you can experience the event through her detailed blog articles. Read her recap on The Chemistry of Distinctive Wines to learn why New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tastes so unique and read about Ancient World Wines to delve into the culture, history and wine of Lebanon, Greece, Georgia and Armenia.
The UC Davis Olive Center has a series of courses on olive oil quality assurance happening in June. There is a 1-day introductory course that covers chemical and sensory characteristics, attributes and flaws, while the 2-day course will link sensory perception to chemistry, cultivar, production process and much more.
In May, the 4-day Vine to Mind Symposium brings together a distinguished mix of leaders to discuss the intersection of wine, data science and artificial intelligence. The program features keynote conversations with Karen MacNeil, Michael Mondavi, and Christine Wente, as well as sessions with industry icons including Orley Ashenfelter, Eric Asimov, Jing Cao, Felicity Carter, Xiao-Li Meng, Ben Montpetit, and many UC Davis experts. UC Davis affiliates receive $100 off their registration when using the code: DAVIS100.
Vine to Mind will also host The Judgment of Davis, a blind wine tasting event in honor of the 50th anniversary of the May 1976 Judgment of Paris—the blind tasting that shocked the wine world by proving that top California wines could hold their own against prestigious bottles from Bordeaux and Burgundy. A half-century later, the Judgment of Davis will put California’s wines to the test once again in a landmark event with a statistically rigorous format.
Finally, I encourage you to read the articles in the ffullill newsletter (linked below) for more news on beer trends and programs, as well as a significant study exploring ways to minimize wildfire smoke in wine grapes.
As always, I hope that you can gather around a table with friends in this beautiful spring weather and raise a glass.
Cheers!
Ned Spang
Director, Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology
View the entire March 2026 newsletter.