Unearth what it takes to Be a Better Grape Grower.
Host Fritz Westover shares best practices for being a successful winegrape grower, offers practical tips for your vineyard, and answers questions from growers like you.
Recent Episodes
111: Bonus Episode: Creating Community – Why I Created VVA
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…
Continue to Episode 111: Bonus Episode: Creating Community – Why I Created VVA
110: A Decade with the Spotted Lanternfly – Are We Now in Control with Dr. Julie Urban
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…
109: How Vineyard Decisions Impact the Wine Microbiome with Dr. Jack Gilbert
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,…
Continue to Episode 109: How Vineyard Decisions Impact the Wine Microbiome with Dr. Jack Gilbert
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Be a Better Grape Grower
Be a part of the growing community of growers mastering the art and science of winegrape production with live and self-guided learning opportunities provided by the Virtual Viticulture Academy.
