Established on the Davis campus in 1935 following the repeal of Prohibition, the Department of Viticulture & Enology at the University of California, Davis combines the sciences of viticulture (cultivation of grapevines) and enology (the study of wine and winemaking) in a single research and teaching unit that encompasses all of the scientific disciplines that impact grape growing and winemaking: chemistry, genetics, microbiology, chemical engineering, horticulture, biochemistry, plant physiology, and sensory science. The department is celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2020.
In addition to undergraduate, graduate, and extension academic programs, the department provides a number of enology and viticultural services and resources to the public.
Services and Specimens
DNA-based Grape Varietal Identification: https://fps.ucdavis.edu//dna.cfm
Virus Diagnostics: https://fps.ucdavis.edu/custommain.cfm
Wine Yeast and Bacteria Strains: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology/culture-collection
True-to-variety Grapevine Planting Stock: https://fps.ucdavis.edu//fgrselections.cfm
The California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program is administered by the California State Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Under the auspices of the CDFA, correctly named grape materials that pass specific disease tests are identified and foundation materials are maintained by Foundation Plant Services (FPS) at the University of California, Davis, and then multiplied by participating nurseries into commercial quantities according to prescribed procedures. https://fps.ucdavis.edu//fgrcdfa.cfm
Database Resources
Variety Name (and historic synonyms) Database: https://fps.ucdavis.edu//fgrvarieties.cfm
Includes an alphabetical listing of grapes varieties and clones with information on variety name, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approved names, common synonyms, countries of origin, berry color, uses, plant images, clones, registration status, registered source, and notes.
FPS Grape Registry Glossary: https://fps.ucdavis.edu//fgrglossary.cfm
Wine Yeast Reference: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology/wine-microbiology/yeast-mold
Includes and alphabetical listing of a number of wine yeasts and provides the classification, traits, role in wine, and a list of references for each.
Winery Associated Bacteria Reference: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology/wine-microbiology/bacteria
Includes and alphabetical listing of a number of wine bacteria and provides the classification, traits, role in wine, and a list of references for each.
Articles and Research
Research Summaries: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/research-summaries
Includes selected articles about current research efforts in winegrape growing and winemaking, chosen for their relevance.
Wine Microbiology Resources: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology
Includes guides on microscopy, yeast, and mold, and bacteria.
Winery Lab Techniques: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology/methods-and-techniques/winery-lab-techniques
Includes a brief description of a number of processes, their application in wine microbiology, and a list of references.
Fermentation Management Guide: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/enology/fermentation-management-guides
Includes guides on wine fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and diagnosing problems with fermentation.
Viticulture Resources: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/viticulture-resources
Includes links to resources concerning integrated pest management, Pierce’s disease, weather, and drought.
Home Winemaking: https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/industry-info/making-table-wine-home
Includes the full-text of the book Making Table Wine at Home by George M. Cooke.
Archives
UC Davis Viticulture and Enology Library Collection: https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/archives-and-special-collections/manuscripts/viticulture-and-enology/
Includes archive materials pertaining to the growth and development of the wine industry. The papers of individual wine researchers, merchants, and historians, and the archives of wineries, trade associations, and governmental agencies are represented.
