(DD) - Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law legislation enabling UC Davis’s Viticulture and Enology Department to sell wine made by its students, which was otherwise being discarded.

The bill by state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, will create a nonprofit, separate from UCD and allow the university to transfer wine made by the department’s students to a nonprofit for marketing and sale — with proceeds going to the department.

“Currently, any product produced through these programs is disposed of, essentially poured down the drain,” said Wolk. “SB 683 prevents this unnecessary and avoidable waste by allowing the wine to be sold instead of discarded.”

SB 683 will also enable the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to issue a special permanent sales license to the nonprofit established by the bill.