An Unforgettable Sensory Journey with Dr. Hoby Wedler and UC Davis Student Wines

The Sensory Theater fell quiet as Ned Spang, Director of the Robert Mondavi Institute, welcomed a familiar face back to campus. Dr. Hoby Wedler, a UC Davis alumnus who has been blind since birth, returned not just as a chemist, entrepreneur, and sensory expert but as the guide for the first public tasting built entirely around UC Davis student-made wines.

Defying the Impossible

Hoby’s path in chemistry began in high school, when a teacher told him laboratory chemistry was out of reach for a blind student. Hoby studied both chemistry and history at UC Davis so he could pursue a Ph.D. in the latter if chemistry didn't work out.

At UC Davis, he met Professor Dean Tantillo, who worked alongside him, supporting his education and research. Together, they didn't just make chemistry more accessible, they demonstrated that visually impaired chemists could have advantages over sighted colleagues. 

Since graduating, Hoby has founded companies, designed programs for blind students, built software that converts chemical diagrams into 3D-printed models labeled in braille, and created blindfolded tasting experiences with Francis Ford Coppola. His work has been recognized by President Obama, Forbes, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. At the Tasting in the Dark event, that experience guided a room full of people ready to rethink how they taste. 

Into the Darkness

“If I hold a red pencil up in front of you, you'd instantly say 'that's red.' But if I puréed a peach in a blender and then had you smell it, some of you would know it was a peach, but many might say it smells 'fruity' or 'floral' without being able to identify it. That's because we don't use our sense of smell as much as we could."

"You use your eyesight to take in 85 to 90% of information," Hoby explained. "That leaves only 10 to 15% for your other four senses." 

After the blindfolds were put on, Hoby had us ground ourselves, feeling the chair, hearing the air conditioning, and smelling the room. "The goal tonight," Hoby told us, "is to be honest about what you like and don't like. Wine is subjective. If you don't like something, that's okay, there's nothing wrong with you. People blame themselves when they don't like a 'good' wine. But wine appreciation isn't about right answers. It's about paying attention."

Training the Nose

We began examining three aroma cups, an idea he credited to UC Davis Professor Emeritus Ann Noble, who was in the audience. "It's really helpful to prime your aromatic vocabulary with words and aromas ahead of time."

The first cup held lemon zest, bright and clean, the kind of citrus scent often found in unoaked whites. “The molecule that smells like lemon is called limonene; chemists are lazy with names, “ he said wryly. 

The next offered fresh raspberry, a pure red-fruit note. The last cup carried star anise, a deep spice and resin aroma that split the room. “Nobody is neutral on star anise,” he said. “You either love it or hate it, and that’s genetic.” 

This exercise was designed to train us to pay closer attention, trust our noses, and approach wine tasting with the same curiosity and precision that the student winemakers use. 

Tasting the Work of UC Davis Students

With our senses primed and our noses sharpened, we moved on to four wines crafted entirely by UC Davis students. The students handled every decision, from blending and oak influence to bottling, using grapes grown in UC Davis vineyards. All proceeds from the bottles support student scholarship.

"These student winemakers had just 10 weeks to work with already-fermented wine," Hoby explained. "They receive what we call 'dry wine lots,' grapes that have already been crushed, destemmed, and fermented. From there, they taste, blend if needed, add oak essence or fining agents, and bottle. They are learning to make great wine, and I think you'll be very impressed."

The first wine, a 2024 Oakville Sauvignon Blanc, revealed tropical fruit, grapefruit, and jasmine. Hoby demonstrated one of his favorite sensory tricks. Cover the glass with your hand, swirl, then lift and smell, and the aromas sharpen instantly. 

Next came the Kosmo Wines 2023 Petite Sirah, grown just a short walk from where we sat, with bold tannins, dried fruit, and warm vanilla from its time in oak. The 2024 Chardonnay, Meleagris,  surprised everyone with notes of browning apple and oyster shell and a velvety texture achieved without a trace of oak. “This texture came purely from the students’ choices,” Hoby noted.

The final wine, Avoré, a 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, showcased Hoby’s three-sip technique. First, we swished and swallowed to establish a baseline. Then we took another sip and pulled a thin stream of air through our teeth, bringing dark fruit, spice, and oak forward. The third step broke the room open: chew the wine like food. The room filled with the slightly absurd sound of a hundred people chewing air and wine. "Historically, we chewed to really taste our food. You'll pick up flavors you never knew existed."

Through this tasting, the skills we honed with the aroma cups paid off, we had the vocabulary to pinpoint flavors, notice subtleties, and experience the wines in a richer, more mindful way. 

Seeing Clearly

When the blindfolds came off, the room buzzed with energy. By removing our dominant sense, we gained permission to trust our other senses and speak our truth about our experience. 

It was a small window into how Hoby perceives wine every day, showing that sometimes the best way to truly see something is to close your eyes.

Want to learn more about Dr. Hoby Wedler's work? Explore his website for information about Tasting in the Dark and follow Hoby's journey on social media.

UC Davis student-made wines are available for purchase, with 100% of proceeds supporting student scholarship in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. Visit the Hilgard631 website for more information and how to purchase.

Kaylianne Jordan is a junior transfer student studying Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis. She has a background in culinary arts and a passion for sustainable farming and enjoys exploring the connections between agriculture, winemaking, and community. Outside of college, she loves trying out new recipes, discovering local food spot.