Eric Hildreth is a 4th year V&E student from San Ramon. When he was a senior in highschool and began the application process to UC Davis, the Department of Viticulture and Enology stood out as an interesting way for him to combine science and art. Growing up, his family had always enjoyed wine but they weren't part of the industry. He decided to give it a shot and says, "I knew I was hooked after my first class, VEN 3." That course was Introduction to Winemaking. 

Hildreth continues, "The core V&E classes offered me an opportunity to get a topical view of the whole process before diving into the intricacies in my upper divisions." While he wouldn't say that the organic chemistry or biochemistry courses were easy, he acknowledges that the principals he learned in those classes gave a necessary foundation and helped him to further understand the winemaking process. 

He spent the last two harvests working as an intern for the UC Davis winery. "This opportunity has allowed me to get exposed to and gain experience with a range of varietals, technology, and winemaking methods that I'm sure will help me further down the road in my professional career." 

He plans to graduate this spring, and then hopes to "jump right into a harvest position as soon as possible to start my journey towards being a winemaker!"