Robert Mondavi Institute

for Wine and Food Science

25 years

Celebrating a quarter century of teaching, research, and public engagement in wine, brewing, and food science — 2001 to 2026.

UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

The Founding Gift

A Gift Built to Endure

Pencil sketch of Robert Mondavi holding a glass of wine

In 2001, Robert Mondavi made a personal gift of $25 million to the University of California, Davis, establishing the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The gift allowed the Departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology to unite within a single, purpose-built home.

Mondavi's vision was to provide both departments with a prestigious forum for collaboration, public engagement, and education, built around a central mission: enhancing public understanding of wine, brewing, and food sciences.

Mondavi's vision was to provide both departments with a prestigious forum for collaboration, public engagement, and education, built around a central mission: enhancing public understanding of wine, brewing, and food sciences.

“Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit.”
Robert Mondavi

25 Years

A History in Milestones

  1. 2001

    The Founding Gift

    Robert Mondavi makes a personal gift of $25 million to establish the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

  2. 2002

    Anheuser-Busch Foundation

    The Anheuser-Busch Foundation pledges $5 million in matching funds to support construction of a new brewing and food science laboratory building to be located next to the institute’s academic complex.

  3. 2005

    Breaking Ground

    Groundbreaking ceremony for the Robert Mondavi Institute.

  4. 2008

    A New Academic Complex

    Grand opening of the Robert Mondavi Institute North, South, and Sensory buildings, together comprising a 129,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art academic complex enabling the university’s winemaking, brewing, and food science programs to relocate under one roof for the first time. With support from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the UC Davis Olive Center is formally established.

  5. 2009

    Teaching Vineyard Planted

    5,000 vines, comprised of nearly 300 types of wine grapes, are planted in the university’s on-campus teaching vineyard.

  6. 2010

    A LEED Platinum First

    The institute opens the world’s first winery, brewery, and food and dairy processing facility certified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum by the US Green Building Council. The 34,000 square-foot facility, housing both the August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory and the Teaching and Research Winery, was funded entirely by private donations.

  7. 2012

    Honey and Pollination Center

    With support from Whole Foods, the Honey and Pollination Center is established at the Robert Mondavi Institute.

  8. 2013

    Sustainable Winery Building

    The Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building is completed, becoming the first zero-carbon emission winery. It is the most water-efficient winery in the world.

  9. 2014

    New Teaching Winery Fermenters

    14 new state-of-the-art 500-gallon fermenters are unveiled in the teaching and research winery, named in honor of several of California’s pioneering wine families for their generous donations, totaling some $700,000.

  10. 2016

    The Good Life Garden

    Renovations to the Good Life Garden allow fruits and vegetables to be harvested and donated to The Pantry, which is committed to ending food insecurity at UC Davis.

Education

Where curiosity becomes craft.

From the vineyard to the pilot brewery, students learn by making, testing, tasting, and asking better questions.

1,480

students learning here each year

Across food science, brewing, viticulture, and enology.

94%

of graduates find their next step

Careers, graduate study, and industry placements.

38

countries represented in our classrooms

A global community rooted in California.

Learning in action

A growing learning community

2025–26 snapshot

Viticulture & Enology

860 students

Food Science & Technology

720 students

Brewing Science

440 students

Celebration

Raise a glass to the next 25 years.

TASTE brings together the people and flavors that make the Robert Mondavi Institute extraordinary: local producers, generous supporters, curious students, and our wider community.

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