Library Research Travel Grant Recipient Keri Matwick on “Uncorking the Archives”
The UC Davis Library awarded five scholars a $2,500 research travel grant in 2026 to support use of our distinctive collections in Archives and Special Collections and Food and Drink. Grant recipient Keri Matwick shares her research experience below.
From May 28–June 2, 2026, I conducted archival research at the UC Davis Library as part of my project, Uncorking the Archives: Wine, Food, Language, and National Identity in the UC Davis Collections. My research examines how wine has been discussed, promoted, and understood through language, and associated with nation and place. The UC Davis Archives and Special Collections were incredible for providing rare and invaluable materials on food and wine.
A major focus of my visit was the papers of pioneering viticulturist and sensory scientist Maynard Amerine. Among the most valuable resources were materials related to the conference Sensory Evaluation of Foods and Beverages (19–20 September 1967), which offered insight into the vocabulary and descriptive language used to evaluate wine. These documents illustrate how sensory experiences were translated into words and communicated among researchers, producers, and consumers.
As a scholar of language and food culture, I was particularly interested in how tasting terminology helped construct ideas of expertise, quality, and enjoyment.”
— Keri Matwick
The archives also revealed unexpected and deeply personal perspectives on wine culture. One particularly memorable discovery was Amerine’s handwritten annotations on several speech outlines, such as one prepared for the Wines, Foods, and Hotels Yolo Flyers Club (18 October 1967). In his notes, he playfully compared wine and travel, describing both as “progressive and incurable” pursuits that bring pleasure and broaden one’s perspective. Both are “lots of fun,” so “try it.” These reflections highlight Amerine’s role not only as a scientist but also as an engaging communicator who linked wine with curiosity, travel, and cultural discovery.
Another important resource was Frank Hedges Butler’s Wine and the Wine Lands of the World (1927), which documents wine regions across multiple continents and includes detailed observations from his travels. Butler’s writings on Australian wine noted the country’s potential for wine production, but also the challenges facing the industry: Australia’s relatively small population, limited wine-drinking culture at the time, and competition from established European wine producers. This manuscript directly informs my ongoing research on Australian wine culture.
My research at UC Davis will contribute to several scholarly outcomes, including journal articles, conference presentations, and future collaborative projects. In particular, the archival findings will support my participation in a New Zealand history and food symposium scheduled for November 2026, where I plan to explore connections among wine, food, travel, and national identity in the Asia-Pacific region.
The UC Davis Library’s collections proved to be an extraordinary resource for interdisciplinary research on food, language, and culture. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with these unique materials and look forward to sharing the insights gained from the archives with both academic and public audiences.