Associate professor and department chair Ben Montpetit has been appointed the Richard M. Kunde Chair in Viticulture and Enology, which is named for a storied alum and pioneering Sonoma County grape farmer. 

Montpetit, a yeast biologist who became chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology in January, said the endowed chair position provides reliable and flexible support for students, research and teaching.  

“When people endow chairs or research funds for a department it gives you the ability to do things that would otherwise be largely impossible,” Montpetit said. “It’s this flexible source of money that allows you to realize the kind of research program and the kind of teaching program that you want as a faculty member.” 

The endowed chair was made possible by a donation from the estate of Richard M. Kunde of Windsor who died in 2018 and came from a family known for their Hereford cows and cabernet sauvignon grapes. 

Continuing that tradition, Kunde earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture in 1964 and a master’s degree in horticulture in 1966 at UC Davis. He owned Sonoma Grapevines and grew it into the largest grapevine nursery in the U.S. while also maintaining close relationships with UC Davis. 

Outstanding alumni

In cooperation with the college, he introduced new rootstocks and clones, elevating California’s stature in the wine industry. In 2008 he was awarded an Award of Distinction and named an outstanding alumni by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. 

“He really respected the work that Davis did, particularly in the viticulture industry, and he wanted to continue that,” said Tim Tesconi, a longtime friend of Kunde and a trustee of the endowment. 

Together with his wife, Saralee, who died in 2014, the two were a powerful force for promoting agriculture, wine and education. 

“Richard and Saralee were well-known and beloved in Sonoma County and beyond for their philanthropy and dedication to agriculture, community building and education,” Tesconi said. “They became legends in their own times and are sorely missed for their advocacy and leadership on so many fronts. They fostered respect for agriculture and Sonoma County's rich farming heritage.”

Richard Kunde was a scientist at heart focused on creating resilient rootstocks, using the latest technology and promoting local products, Tesconi said. It was Kunde who proposed the European tradition of appellation areas – a designation signifying the region grapes were grown – to the states but calling them American Viticulture Areas. And each year, he threw an appellation party to teach people about wine.

“He had the mind of an analytical scientist but the heart of a Sunday school teacher,” Tesconi said. “He was really a leader in so many ways.”  

Research, outreach and more 

The initial endowment term is for five years and centered on viticulture and enology research, outreach to industry and other stakeholders, as well as enhancing academic and intellectual life on campus. 

Endowments are a key alternative source of funding to grants, which are cyclical, and allows for research in areas that have further restrictions like alcohol. Montpetit said the endowment further offers an opportunity to start novel research that would not be funded by outside organizations without preliminary study results.

“Endowments allow you to invest in ideas and collect the preliminary data that in the future could lead to a major grant,” he said. “It is incredibly important for us because the funds that are available for research in the areas we’re working on are limited.” 

The endowment is also a gift for the ages. 

“It not only endows me currently as a faculty member, it’s going to benefit the next faculty member who comes along after me and the next one after that,” he said. “It’s far reaching in terms of the number of people that it’s going to impact.” 

Make a gift to the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology at https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/giving or contact Jennifer Martinez at jelmartinez@ucdavis.edu or 530-902-5985 for more information.