This quarter, we've heard from several people about the Viticulture & Enology program at UC Davis. I was wondering about the program (and honestly, if I could take a class), and figured some of you might be interested as well --
History of UC Davis V&E Program
http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/
In April 1885, the Regents of the University of California was mandated by the California Legislature to establish a program for instruction and research of viticulture and enology. The program ran successfully until Prohibition, and was reinstated in 1935. UC Davis became an industry leader when it realized that the taste and quality reflected in a bottle is a direct result of quality of the vineyard, and that unlike centuries of winemaking traditions in Europe, viticulture and enology must be studied together. Today, UC Davis offers Undergraduate degrees in Viticulture & Enology, as well as Graduate degrees and a well-known Extension program.
The prestigious wine program has only around 100 graduates each year, who take math and science heavy classes in organic chemistry, sensory evaluation, and microbiology.
In 2001, Robert Mondavi donated $25M to create the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science (RMI) to bridge the study of Viticulture and Enology with Food and Science at UC Davis. The donation included funds for the first LEED Platinum Winery, a "12,500-square-foot winery includes a large experimental fermentation area with 152 200-liter research fermentation tanks and 14 2,000-liter fermentation tanks. There are three controlled-temperature rooms, barrel and bottle cellars, an analytical lab, a classroom and a special bottle cellar for donated wines."
Key Accomplishments of UC Davis Viticulture & Enology Program
http://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/about/timeline.html
1940s: Studies on the relationship between wine quality and climate lead to recommended grape varieties for specific regions.
1950s: Introduction of modern sanitation to winemaking eliminated widespread vinegar contamination of wine.
1960s: Introduction of sterile filtration to the California industry eliminated many post-bottling problems; increased the market for table wines.
1980s: The first standardized lexicon for wine was born with the Wine Aroma Wheel.
1990s: DNA fingerprinting techniques revealed the parentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, and other varieties; TCA assay developed to measure and avoid cork taint
Viticulture & Enology Courses Available to the Public (!!!)https://extension.ucdavis.edu/subject-areas/viticulture-and-enology
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