Grand opening
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Videography by Sylvia Wright, UC Davis News Service
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700 celebrate campus’s innovative wine and food complex
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Fittingly surrounded by olive trees and an edible garden, more than 700 dignitaries, visitors and members of the university community gathered Oct. 10 to celebrate the grand opening of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.
The new 129,600-square-foot complex of three academic buildings houses UC Davis’ departments of Viticulture and Enology, and Food Science and Technology, as well as the administrative offices for the institute.
The grand opening ceremony was held in the institute’s expansive courtyard, landscaped as a demonstration garden that includes olive and citrus trees, vegetables, and herbs. The courtyard faces west toward a 12-acre teaching vineyard, which will be planted with grapevines this winter.
Special guest for the grand opening was Margrit Biever Mondavi, wife of the late Robert Mondavi.
The new 129,600-square-foot complex is composed of three academic buildings designed for close interaction among faculty, staff and students. (Karen Higgins/UC Davis photo)
Robert Mondavi gave $25 million
In 2001, Mondavi, a legendary California winemaker, gave $25 million to establish the wine and food science institute within UC Davis’ College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
The Mondavis also gave an additional $10 million to help launch the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 2002 and is now a regional performing arts landmark.
Also participating in the grand opening were Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa Valley; University of California Interim Provost Robert Grey; Neal Van Alfen, dean of UC Davis’ College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; and Robert Mondavi’s children, Tim Mondavi and Marcia Mondavi Borger.
Emcee for the event was Clare M. Hasler, executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute.
During the ceremony, Rep. Thompson, whose 1st Congressional District encompasses both UC Davis and the Napa Valley, presented Margrit Mondavi with a congressional resolution honoring Robert Mondavi.
Budweiser Clydesdales arrive
After ribbons were cut, signifying the official grand opening of the new complex, the audience turned its attention to the arrival of the Budweiser Clydesdales.
On the UC Davis home page: Wielding giant scissors used to cut the ribbons for the grand opening are, from left, Clare Hasler, executive director of the institute; Robert Grey, University of California interim provost; Margrit Biever Mondavi; Neal Van Alfen, dean of UC Davis’ College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; and UC Davis Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. (Karen Higgins/UC Davis photo)
The eight-horse hitch, pulling a beer wagon, signaled the beginning of a groundbreaking ceremony for the institute’s second building phase, which will include design and construction of two connected, one-story buildings totaling 32,000 square feet.
The buildings will house the small-scale Teaching and Research Winery and the Anheuser-Busch Brewing and Food Science Laboratory, which will include a brewery and pilot food-processing plant.
Construction of the buildings, estimated to cost $16.5 million, is slated to begin in June 2009 with completion anticipated in July 2010.