Vineyard Underground

What if a vineyard's strongest defense against fungal disease starts with the grape variety itself? Fritz talks with Dr. Oliver Trapp, head of grapevine breeding at Germany's Julius Kühn Institute, about PIWI varieties and their role in more resilient viticulture. Oliver explains how breeders combine resistance from wild grape species with desirable wine traits, why breeding can take roughly 25 ye...

In this bonus episode, Fritz explains why he founded the Virtual Viticulture Academy in 2018. He describes three motivations: consulting travel limited how many growers he could serve; some growers couldn't afford or find individual advice; and vineyard management could feel isolating without nearby peers. The academy was created as a trusted source for research-based vineyard information and a co...

Fritz welcomes Penn State entomologist Dr. Julie Urban for a look back at ten years of spotted lanternfly research — and what vineyard owners have learned along the way. Julie explains why grapevines are especially vulnerable: late-season feeding can disrupt resource flow and drain the carbohydrate reserves vines need for winter. They walk through the lanternfly's life cycle, its unpredictable mov...

Leading microbial ecologist from UC San Diego, Dr. Jack Gilbert joins us to talk about how soil and management decisions shape the vine and wine microbiome. We start by defining what a microbiome is in plain vineyard terms, and Dr. Gilbert explains how vines "select" specific microbes from the surrounding soil to support nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and overall vine health. We then walk thro...

A big life change is brewing as Fritz shares a personal update from his new home base in Denver, Colorado! After nearly two decades in Houston, he and his family have moved to be closer to the mountains, cooler weather, and an outdoor lifestyle, while still staying near a major airport so he can keep serving growers across the Americas.  Nothing about the support, education, or consulting listener...

Fritz welcomes back Dr. Kendra Baumgartner, a longtime friend and one of his very first podcast guests, to tackle a question every grower eventually faces: when does an aging vineyard block cross from struggling to done? Kendra walks through the trunk diseases, root pathogens, and viruses that build up in vines over decades, explaining which problems a vine can carry for years and which ones signa...

In this episode, Fritz talks with Shiraz Mottiar, Team Principal and GM at Malivoir Wine Company in Ontario, Canada, about three sustainability practices any vineyard can put into place, whether or not they are pursuing certification. Shiraz shares the story of Malivoir's growth on the Beamsville Bench and his long involvement with Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario and research at Brock University's...

In this bonus episode, Fritz shares key lessons from his week in Ontario as the invited speaker for the 13th Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture Series, hosted by Brock University's Cool Climate Enology and Viticulture Institute. Speaking directly to cool-climate vineyard owners and managers, Fritz explains why nutrient management is a pressing topic for Canadian growers, particularly in...

In this Q&A episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz answers real-world questions from growers across the U.S., covering late-season disease management, water and nutrient strategy, and vine removal decisions. Fritz talks through post-harvest care for young, non-bearing vines, how to handle irrigation and foliar disease pressure in different regions, and clears up confusion around growing degree day...

In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz talks with Dr. Mark Krasnow of Thoughtful Viticulture about how to tell real vine stress from false alarms in the vineyard. Mark explains why grapevines are often tougher than they look and breaks stress into three main categories: water, heat, and wind. He and Fritz highlight common misreads and show how these assumptions lead to overwatering, shallo...

In this conversation, Fritz continues his deep dive with Thijs Verschuuren of Herman J. Wiemer, exploring practical baby steps toward biodynamic and organic vineyard management. Thijs walks through how he structures a non-systemic spray program in a high-disease-pressure region, breaking down critical spray timing, coverage strategies, and why he treats bloom and cap fall as "non-negotiable" spray...

In this episode, we dig into what it really looks like to take manageable, real-world steps toward biodynamic and organic winegrowing with Thijs (Taze) Verschuuren, Director of Vineyard Biology and biodynamic specialist at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in New York's Finger Lakes. We follow Thijs's path from European wine regions to the Finger Lakes and unpack the make-or-break 2018 season. That side‑...

We mark a major milestone with our 100th episode by stepping back to look at where the vineyard industry has been and where it's headed next. Fritz walks us through what's in, what's out, and what's coming for growers who want to stay profitable and resilient. We start with the changing economics of grape growing. Planting Cab, Merlot, or Syrah on speculation no longer pencils out in an oversuppli...

Dr. Katie Gold and Dave Combs from Cornell University join Fritz to unpack one of the most confusing topics facing winegrape growers today: how biological fungicides truly fit into a spray program. Katie explains how the Cornell grape pathology program has expanded rapidly, moving from strictly conventional efficacy trials into extensive work with biologicals as more of these products come out of...

Small vineyard decisions made early in the season can create major ripple effects later in the year, and in this episode, Fritz breaks down three vineyard management tasks that are frequently skipped, delayed, or underestimated despite their outsized impact on vine health, fruit quality, and long-term vineyard performance. Fritz focuses first on shoot thinning and explains why timing is everything...

We are back with another solo episode! Fritz dives into the world of Reddit viticulture advice to separate helpful guidance from misleading recommendations. Using real vineyard and winemaking questions pulled from Reddit threads, Fritz evaluates the quality of the responses while adding his own professional perspective. The episode covers a wide range of vineyard topics, but throughout it, Fritz h...

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are powerful tools that can dramatically influence vine performance, but they also come with complexity and risk. In this episode, Fritz welcomes back Dr. Matthew W. Fidelibus of UC Davis to explore how these compounds are used across table, raisin, and wine grape production. Dr. Fidelibus explains that PGRs include both naturally occurring plant hormones and synthet...

Organic grape production is gaining momentum, but making the transition from conventional farming requires careful planning, patience, and a willingness to adapt. In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz welcomes Rob Warren, owner and operator of Desert Willow Vineyard and Warren Farms in Seminole, Texas, to share his experience converting his vineyard to certified organic production. Rob ex...

In this final installment of the Vineyard Nutrition Essentials series, Fritz is joined by Dr. Jaclyn Fiola, Assistant Professor of Soil and Environmental Science at Delaware Valley University, to unpack the critical role magnesium plays in vineyard health and productivity. Building on prior discussions around potassium, the conversation explores how magnesium functions as a key macronutrient, part...

Phosphorus may not grab attention like nitrogen or potassium, but it plays a foundational role in vine growth, fruit set, and overall vineyard performance. In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz welcomes Dr. Terry Bates, Senior Research Associate at Cornell University and Director of the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Lab for Cornell AgriTech, for a deep dive into phosphorus fund...

In this first installment of a three-part vineyard nutrition series, Dr. Markus Keller joins us to break down one of the most influential nutrients in vineyard management: nitrogen. We explore from the ground up.  Dr. Keller explains what nitrogen is, where it comes from in vineyard soils, and why it plays such a critical role in vine growth, fruit set, and overall vine performance. While nitrogen...

How many incredible grape varieties are hiding in plain sight — simply because they don't fit the modern wine script? We dig into that question in this episode with Jenny and Scott Schultz of Sonoma's Jolie-Laide Wines, a winery built around chasing the unfamiliar and turning "pretty ugly" grapes into seriously compelling wines. We trace how Jenny and Scott's very different paths collided into a s...

Some of the world's most valuable vineyard lessons are rooted in vines that predate modern viticulture. In this conversation, we are joined by Dr. Laura Catena to explore Argentina's remarkable legacy of old, ungrafted vines and what they reveal about vine genetics, site expression, and long-term resilience. Drawing on her experience, Dr. Catena explains why phylloxera never devastated many Argent...

Planting a vineyard is a major investment, and the decisions made before the first vine goes into the ground can determine long-term success or costly failure. In this episode, Fritz sits down with renowned viticulture expert Dr. Mark Greenspan to unpack the most common red flags vineyard owners and operators should watch for when planning a new planting. Drawing on more than three decades of scie...

Pruning is one of the most influential decisions vineyard owners and operators make each season, and in this solo Q&A episode, Fritz tackles the most common — and most misunderstood — questions he hears in the field. Drawing on hands-on experience, Fritz walks listeners through the practical realities of dormant pruning, why it matters far beyond vine appearance, and how pruning choices directly i...