The Robert Mondavi Institute is home to two Centers of Excellence: the UC Davis Olive Center and the Center for Wine Economics. Each center is dedicated to the research of specific foods or beverages, and implements cross-disciplinary efforts to address significant issues related to these products.
The UC Davis Olive Center
Originally created to address the on-campus hazard of olive trees dropping fruit on bikeways, the center has since moved to the forefront of research, teaching, and education relating to olives and olive oil. With a sensory lab, introductory-to-professional-level short courses, and numerous academic publications, the center is “doing for olives what UC Davis did for wine.”
The Center for Wine Economics
With an emphasis on applied research, the center is also engaged in teaching and outreach activities related to wine economics. The center undertakes and facilitates research and education about the economics of the production and consumption of wine grapes and wine in California and around the world.