7 Reasons To Raise A Glass To The UC Davis Department Of Viticulture and Enology

It's been said that there are only six degrees of separation between each person on earth. But in the world of wine, many vines lead back to UC Davis.

1. Almost no degree of separation.

Chris J. Nicolini | UC Davis

While the rest of the world has long been said to have only six degrees of separation between any two people, the entire wine world is seemingly connected to UC Davis' Department of Viticulture and Enology. They either went to school, taught or consulted at UC Davis or have a relative, employee or close friend who did.

2. It might make you rethink your career plans.

Chris J. Nicolini | UC Davis

As Stacy Clark, a winemaker at Charles Krug Winery in Napa Valley and notable alumna, said, “I wasn’t planning on a winemaking career. I found it while studying biology. The viticulture and enology program at UC Davis has been the foundation of my life and my career.”

3. UC Davis faculty prepare students for wherever they want to go, Napa…or South Africa, for instance.

Gary and Kathy Jordan, graduates of UC Davis in 1988 and ’89, now own and operate Jordan Wine Estate, one of South Africa’s top wine estates. Located in Stellenbosch, South Africa, Gary recognizes, “We would not be where we are today without our time at UC Davis spent in the viticulture and enology department.” He also ascribes their success in the industry to the knowledge they gained from professors they studied under during their time at UC Davis.

4. Wine mentors.

Chris J. Nicolini | UC Davis

“I started my professional career in the wine industry in the Department of Viticulture and Enology, and I owe most of it to my colleagues at UC Davis who mentored and supported me,” said Christian Butzke, who served on the UC Davis faculty from 1993 to 2002 as the UC Cooperative Extension enologist in the Department of Viticulture and Enology. “Today, I have ongoing connections to winemakers and winegrowers, former grad students and wine scientists on all six continents,” said Butzke, now a professor of enology at Purdue University.

5. Life changing.

Karin Higgins | UC Davis

Rosa Lamuela-Raventos,’96, expresses her thanks to UC Davis, “I think my postdoc at UC Davis totally changed my life. It allowed me to meet some very open-minded people who had created an exceptionally dynamic and interactive environment where you could freely discuss anything related with viticulture and enology.”

6. Create a legacy.

Chris J. Nicolini | UC Davis

“This educational experience has helped me make the most of the five-generation legacy of my family’s business to deal with technical and nontechnical challenges across the board of the supply chain — from the root system of a vineyard in a remote wine region to a high-end restaurant in a global metropolis,” said Mihalis Boutaris, owner-operator of wine holding companies in China, Korea and Japan, who received his master’s in viticulture and enology in ’00.

7. You might fall in love.

Debbie Aldridge | UC Davis

Alan Bakalinsky, associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology of Oregon State University, received his bachelor’s degree in fermentation science, master’s in food science/enology, and doctorate in microbiology – all from UC Davis. He said, “The V&E program provided a wonderful introduction into the fascinating world of wine and led to my ongoing love affair with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.”

Chris J. Nicolini | UC Davis