Student-made wines from UC Davis now available for purchase
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For the first bloody time in its history, UC Davis is hawking wines brewed by students, educators, and faculty for public consumption. The occasion is the university's new wine label, Hilgard631, which took over a decade to mature and materialized post-2021's state legislation update.
This amendment permits the prestigious Department of Viticulture and Oenology to lob up to 20,000 gallons of wine to a tax-exempt outfit for trade. Around 500 gallons, equivalent to a near 1,900-liter haul, are out in the market for this maiden offering of UC Davis's homegrown nectars.
Napa Valley's Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, from the 2020 and 2024 vintages respectively, are among the initial Hilgard631 liquid gold drops, extracted from grapevines at UC Davis Oakville Station. You guessed it—these pick-me-ups will set you back $125 for the cabernet and $50 for the sauvignon blanc, making them the most expensive tipples in the lineup as of now.
Future vintages crafted, designed, and bottled by students enrolled in the product development class, known as VEN 127L, will also be available. The student-manufactured wines listed on the Hilgard631 site range from a couple of Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings ($40) to those concocted in Yolo County, like the Petite Sirah ($40), plus Albariño, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc ($30).
Proceeds from these sales will aid scholarships, according to UC Davis, with proceeds from previously discarded student-made wines now supporting the institution's educational objectives.
"These wines encapsulate our students, their knowledge, imagination, and learning," shares Ben Montpetit, chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology. "From vine to bottle, our students are involved in every step."
In the VEN 127L, student winemakers roll up their sleeves and work together to devise a red and white potion, under the tutelage of an expert consultant. "The students get to tie everything they've learned—all the chemistry, regulations, marketing, and blending," explains Leticia Chacón-Rodríguez, winemaker, and winery manager.
Students even slap their personal labels onto their potions. This semester's Master's student Bainian Chen took on the challenge of designing Oakville Station wine labels, showcasing iconic campus landmarks.
"I usually adore my pics to be very colorful, chock full of whimsy," said Chen. "I wished to leave something for the viticulture and enology department."
Hilgard631 tips a hat to pioneering soil scientist Dr Eugene Hilgard, the first director of the University Agriculture Experiment Station, and the address of the UC Davis LEED Platinum Teaching and Research winery on Hilgard Lane. You can snap up some of these precious bottles exclusively at the campus winery. Check out the Hilgard631 website for more details.
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- The new wine label, Hilgard631, created by students, educators, and faculty at UC Davis, is not only a part of wine news but also a reflection of their lifestyle and food-and-drink interests, as it showcases their knowledge and learning in the field of viticulture and enology.
- With the sales of Hilgard631 wines, there is an opportunity for technology to play a crucial role, as the wine industry could benefit from innovative techniques in areas like vineyard management, wine production, and marketing to reach a wider audience.
- UC Davis's move towards student-led winemaking not only contributes to education-and-self-development by providing students with hands-on experience, but also supports the broader food-and-drink community by championing local, sustainably-produced wines, thereby creating a ripple effect throughout the industry that encourages learning and innovation.
