The University of California, Davis, has a long history of groundbreaking research that has significantly impacted the global wine industry. Standing on the shoulders of giants With the retirement of several key academics whose research in the areas of grapevine genetics, fermentation science, and sensory science has played a crucial role in the development and advancement of the modern American wine industry, the Department of Viticulture and Enology now has new leadership. In January 2024, Benjamen Montpetit began his tenure as the Marvin Sands Endowed Chair in the department, succeeding David Block, who spent nearly 13 years in the role. Montpetit’s journey Montpetit’s journey from studying biochemistry to assuming leadership of the world’s top wine-science depart­ment was a natural progression. After earning a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, he made his way to the University of California, Berkeley, for postdoctoral research in gene expression regulation using yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As a self-described foodie, Montpetit had already formed a deep personal connection to Vancouver’s multicultural restaurant scene, but it was a memo­rable glass …