Reconnecting with where it all started - UCDavis

David Block and Steve in front of the instructional vineyard on campus

We gave them a few bottles

On Wednesday June 23, I accepted an invitation to visit the Department of Viticulture & Enology at UCDavis, where I graduated with a degree in V&E in 1996. The main reason for the visit was to donate a letter from Dr. Ralph Kunkee, former professor of wine microbiology who wrote the textbook on the field, to me regarding a winemaking research project I conducted during my second harvest internship at King Estate Winery in Oregon. UCDavis wanted to put this letter, typewritten on departmental stationery, in their Special Collections archive at Shields Library, and I was happy to donate it.

David and Karen Block, Distinguished Professor and Director of Industry Relations respectively, met me at the new (to me) Robert Mondavi Institute on the south end of campus, just north of I-80, which now houses the Department of Viticulture & Enology, Malting & Brewing Science, and Food Science and Technology.

They showed me all the new labs and classrooms, their offices, the pilot winery, instructional vineyard (one of them that is), and bringing me up to speed with what's both new and continued traditions. It's amazing that it's been 30 years, almost to the day, since I graduated and this was my first visit back. Long, long overdue!

Checking out their test fermenters - so much extra plumbing and automation

It was almost overwhelming being brought back to where it all started in my wine journey those decades ago. Every professor I took a Viticulture and Enology class from has retired. A new generation of professors, staff, and students are working away, carrying on the legacy of (in my humble opinion) the world's foremost educational and research wine department.

When I was an undergrad, there were a few courses where we had a guest lecturer - a UCD V&E alum winemakers, relating what was being instructed with what it's like practically as a winemaker. I volunteered to be one of these guest lecturers myself when class is back in session in fall, and we are trying to work something out.

Lodi's Wine Wonderland circa 1955

After this, we headed over to the Shields Library to meet with the staff at the Special Collections archive, to officially submit my letter donation (with a descriptive donation form) and get a tour of their wing.

Given that UCD sets the world standard for Viticulture & Enology research and scientific paper submission, their archives in this field is immense. It spans centuries and from all over the world. There is one document on vellum, describing someone's donation of a vineyard to the local monastery, dating back to the 1300's!

A small section of two shelves of viticulture books mostly from the late 1800's

The staff at Special Collections showed me so much amazing material. A book of hundreds of pressed and preserved winegrape leaves of varieties I've never heard of, a 28-layer full color lithography book where the printer burned up in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake fire, even a full accounting of the very inception of the Lodi winegrape industry.

The Shields Library is public, and if anyone wants to do historical research on California wine, they have it covered from modern research journals to ancient Special Collections material.

What an amazing day, and it was so rewarding to reconnect with my past, where guiding the future of the California wine industry is continually in motion. I can't wait to go back!