May 2021 - 21

GRAPES
Fellowship honors UC Davis alumnus, winemaker
By John Stumbos
University of California, Davis
A new fellowship in memory of
University of California (UC), Davis,
alumnus and Napa Valley winemaker
Richard A. Ward has been established
in the Department of Viticulture and
Enology by his widow, Linda Reiff,
to help in the development of a new
generation of winemakers.
The fellowship will annually
provide financial support to a
graduate student in viticulture and
enology who will assist with crucial
research in the wine industry. Ward
was co-founder and managing
partner of the Saintsbury vineyard
and winery in Napa. He died in 2017
following a fight with cancer. Reiff,
president and CEO of the trade
association Napa Valley Vintners, felt
compelled to make a fitting tribute to
her late husband at his alma mater.
" Richard carried his exceptional
intelligence with an equal level of
curiosity to learn more about topics
that enchanted him, including wine, "
she said. " I cannot imagine a better
way to celebrate and honor him than
to create an opportunity to help
someone deepen their knowledge
and perhaps pursue a career related
to wine. I also thought it would
be meaningful for the fellowship
recipients to assist with essential
research projects to help the industry
Richard and I dedicated our lives to. "
" Richard Ward was a pioneer in the
expansion of quality wine production
in the Napa Valley, " said Professor
David Block, chair of the viticulture
and enology department. " He and
his partner, David Graves, were some
of the first to prove that they could
make world-class pinot noir and
chardonnay in California. Linda's
generosity is a wonderful way to
recognize her husband's contributions
to the wine industry and his roots in
our department. "
Ward earned his bachelor's degree
in engineering at Tufts University
in Boston and then followed his
dream to make wine in California.
After completing his graduate work
in winemaking at UC Davis, he and
Graves started the Saintsbury winery
in 1981.
The Richard A. Ward Fellowship
will award $10,000 each year for at
least the next decade to help defray
tuition and other expenses. Saintsbury
also is launching a new wine series
to help raise funds to support the
fellowship program beyond the initial
10 years.
" By focusing the fellowship on
a student performing research in
our department, this gift will also
be contributing to the creation of
new knowledge to strengthen the
California wine industry over the
long term, " Block said. FGN
Richard A. Ward was a UC Davis
alumnus and co-founder and
managing partner of the Saintsbury
vineyard and winery in Napa Valley.
Photo: UC Davis
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May 2021

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