Women, Wine and Chocolate

Two days before Valentine's Day, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science turns romantic with Women, Wine and Chocolate, featuring a confections expert and some of California's leading female winemakers.

The organizers said Margrit Mondavi will provide opening remarks, and then the program will turn to presentations by
presentations by Kathy Joseph, proprietor and winemaker of Fiddlehead Cellars; Tondi Bolkan, associate winemaker at Francis Coppola Winery; and Melissa Stackhouse, pinot noir winemaster for Jackson Family Wines.

The program also includes Grace Erickson, formerly of Ghirardelli Chocolate and now of American Licorice Co., discussing milk and dark chocolate, differences
between single-sourced and blended products, and the
challenges facing the confections industry at this time.

Last on the program is Ann Noble, professor emeritus in the Department of Viticulture and Enology, who will guide a wine and chocolate tasting session. Noble is the sensory scientist who developed the wine aroma wheel, which can be used by  inexperienced wine tasters to train their brains and noses to connect aromas with the appropriate terms.

Women, Wine and Chocolate is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, in the RMI's Sensory Theatre. The cost is $55 for the general public, $45 for Friends of the RMI, and UC Davis staff, faculty and students, or $65 the day of the event. At midweek, organizers said space was limited. Registration and more information.

Cheese Loves Beer III

Cheese Loves Beer: Mastering the Marriage is paying special attention this year to sheep milk cheeses from Europe and California, and beers from UC Davis alumni who have developed into brewing industry leaders.

This year's program is the third annual, thus the nickname Cheese Loves Beer III. The Robert Mondavi Institute event is scheduled from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in the RMI's Sensory Theatre.

The organizers are promising a "rousing discussion" led by Charles Bamforth, Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences; and Moshe Rosenberg, professor and specialist, dairy engineering and technology.

They are due to talk about the compatability of cheese and beer, of course, plus the rich diversity of beer styles and flavors, and the existence of more than 1,500 different cheese varieties and the evolution of their unique flavor and quality attributes.

The organizers said Bamforth will showcase beers from Aggie brewers — graduates of UC Davis and UC Davis Extension.

"Whether they raise sheep, pigs, cows or any other favorite
domesticated animal, the farmers should delight in their beer as the beverage of choice," Bamforth said. "And who better to brew the beer than an Aggie."

Rosenberg is due to discuss the history, art, science and diversity of sheep milk cheeses, which were the first cheeses to be made by the shepherds of ancient times.

"Since then, these cheeses have evolved to become one of the most diverse and successful family of cheeses, consisting of hundreds of different varieties produced all over the world," Rosenberg said.

The cost is $55 for the general public, $45 for Friends of the RMI, and UC Davis staff, faculty and students, or $65 the day of the event. Registration and more information.

March 5 wine tasting open to all

UC Davis staff and faculty are invited to join retirees at the Retiree Center's fourth annual wine tasting social, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5.

Organizers said three wineries will be represented: Rominger West Winery of Davis, Turkovich Family Wines of Winters and Vino Noceto of Plymouth.

Along with the wine samples will come tasty appetizers, plus background music sponsored by the Retirees and Emeriti associations.

This year's event also will include a special feature: an “Aroma Table” organized by Bill Rains, professor emeritus of plant sciences. Organizers said the table will feature the wine aroma wheel designed by Ann Noble, professor emeritus of viticulture and enology.

The table will feature six to eight aroma components from a white wine and a red wine — to assist people in identifying the aroma components of wine.

The campus bookstore will set up a display of the aroma wheels, as well as books on wine and-or winemaking, available for purchase.

The suggested donation is $25 per person. The registration deadline is Feb. 23. Everyone who attends will be eligible to win door prizes that include a tour and wine tasting for up to 16 guests (a $160 value) donated by Rominger West Winery.