084: Damage Control - Voles & Other Vertebrate Pests with Kelly Mulville & Newt Wimer
Vineyard Underground
Voles, gophers, and ground squirrels are more than a nuisance — they can devastate vineyards if left unchecked. In this episode, host Fritz Westover sits down with Kelly Mulville of Paicines Ranch and Newt Wimer, an agricultural innovator, to discuss practical, sustainable ways to manage these vertebrate pests. Kelly shares his firsthand experience with a sudden vole outbreak at Paicines Ranch — one of the worst he’s ever seen — and explains how quickly the damage escalated. He walks through the telltale signs of vole damage, how girdling kills vines, and why population cycles and...
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083: Plan My Vineyard with Callil Capuozzo
Vineyard Underground
In this episode, Fritz sits down with Callil Capuozzo, the founder and owner of Overhead Vineyards in coastal Rhode Island. Callil shares his unique journey from industrial designer to vineyard owner and walks through the challenges of starting a vineyard on existing farmland. The conversation explores the critical early decisions in vineyard development — from soil sampling and drainage considerations to choosing trellis systems that suit humid, fog-prone climates. Callil’s experiment with a pergola-style trellis, inspired by traditional Albarino vineyards in Rías Baixas, Spain, sparks a...
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082: How Vines are Made with Dustin Hooper
Vineyard Underground
In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz welcomes Dustin Hooper, Vice President of Sales at Sunridge Nurseries, to take listeners behind the scenes of how grapevines are made. While growers see the final product when vines arrive at their vineyard, there’s a fascinating process that begins long before planting — starting with certified mother vines and continuing through propagation, grafting, greenhouse production, and certification. Dustin shares his personal journey into the nursery business and offers an insider’s perspective on the complexities of producing clean, reliable...
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081: Transitioning from Grape Grower to Winemaker with Jim Duane – Part 2
Vineyard Underground
In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz continues his conversation with winemaker and Inside Winemaking podcast host Jim Duane on what it takes for grape growers to successfully step into winemaking. Following part one, which covered equipment, compliance, and basic chemistry, part two dives deeper into the realities of balancing vineyard management with winery responsibilities. Fritz and Jim explore how harvest decisions shift when you’re making wine from your own fruit, weighing risks like weather and pests against the pursuit of higher quality. Jim shares how winemakers must...
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080: Transitioning from Grape Grower to Winemaker with Jim Duane - Part 1
Vineyard Underground
Many vineyard owners eventually consider moving beyond grape growing into winemaking, whether to create a new revenue stream, take control of their fruit, or explore a more creative outlet. In this episode, we welcome winemaker and podcaster Jim Duane of Seavey Vineyard and the Inside Winemaking podcast for the first part of a two-part discussion on how growers can make this transition successfully. The conversation discusses the mindset, skills, and resources needed to move from vineyard to cellar. Jim shares why a formal chemistry degree isn’t required to produce quality wine, how growers...
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079: Plan My Vineyard with Matthieu Wheeler
Vineyard Underground
In this episode, Fritz walks through the full planning process for a brand-new vineyard alongside guest Matthieu Wheeler. Matthieu, the winemaker at Cassidy Hill Vineyard in Connecticut and founder of Wheeler Winery, is preparing to establish his own vineyard on a newly purchased property. With Fritz’s guidance, listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into selecting vineyard sites, designing blocks, and preparing the land for long-term success. Fritz and Matthieu cover vineyard economics, including the realistic costs of establishing and maintaining vines, equipment investments,...
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078: Beyond Organic Wine with Adam Huss
Vineyard Underground
In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz welcomes Adam Huss — host of the Beyond Organic Wine podcast, winemaker at Centralas Wine, and creator of the Crenshaw Cru Wine Garden in South Los Angeles. Adam shares his unconventional path into winemaking, beginning with a career in the nonprofit sector before launching a winery focused on ecological and community-driven practices. The conversation explores Adam’s philosophy of going “beyond organic” to embrace an ecological approach to winegrowing — one that avoids getting boxed into industry buzzwords and instead focuses on the...
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077: Transitioning Vineyards to Regenerative Organic Certification with Hilary Graves
Vineyard Underground
In this episode, we welcome Hilary Graves, Vineyard and Grower Relations Manager at Booker Wines, to discuss how she successfully transitioned an Organic vineyard to regenerative organic certification. With over 20 years of field experience on California’s Central Coast, Hilary brings practical strategies and candid stories about what it really takes to move beyond standard organic practices. Hilary explains the core pillars of regenerative organic certification — soil health, social fairness, and animal welfare — and why she and the team at Booker Wines chose to pursue this path. She...
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076: Growing Grapes Around the World – England with Dr. Belinda Kemp
Vineyard Underground
In this episode of Vineyard Underground, we welcome Dr. Belinda Kemp, viticulture and enology researcher at NIAB in East Malling, England, to explore the evolving wine industry in the UK. With a background in theatrical arts and a PhD in Pinot Noir, Dr. Kemp brings a dynamic perspective to the scientific and practical aspects of cool climate viticulture. The conversation covers England’s emerging reputation for sparkling wine, the impact of climate variability on grape production, and the country's increasing focus on sustainability and innovation. Dr. Kemp discusses the shift from...
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075: The Importance of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Vineyard Health with Dr. R. Paul Schreiner
Vineyard Underground
In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz welcomes Dr. R. Paul Schreiner, recently retired research plant physiologist from the USDA, for a deep dive into the fascinating world of mycorrhizal fungi and their impact on vineyard health. With over two decades of research experience in grapevine physiology and root biology, Dr. Schreiner shares the critical roles these fungi play in nutrient uptake, root efficiency, drought tolerance, and overall soil structure. Fritz and Dr. Schreiner explore what arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are, how they form symbiotic relationships with grapevine...
info_outlineIn this episode, we are joined by a friend and repeat guest, Paul Crout. Paul is a leading pest control advisor, certified crop control advisor, and one of the foremost experts on wine grape nutrition, spray adjuvants, and more in the ag and viticulture realm. He currently works as a leading agronomist with Helena Agra Enterprises in California, and he has the honor of being the only guest we've had on the podcast three times!
Adjuvants can be a dry topic, but we promise this discussion provides a lot of valuable take-home information. It’s one of those episodes where you will want to take notes. Listen in and don’t forget to download the Spray Adjuvants to Increase Pesticide Efficacy Grower Guide.
In this episode, you will hear:
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What adjuvants are, when to use them, and which ones to use
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The two main categories of adjuvants - surfactants and special purpose
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When to use buffers and drift control agents
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The importance of knowing your water’s pH before adding an adjuvant
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Differences between non-ionic surfactants and organosilicone surfactants
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Understanding the use of methylated seed oils for tank mixing and pesticide application
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Resources:
Download Fritz’s member-only Spray Adjuvants to Increase Pesticide Efficacy Grower Guide available to podcast listeners through August 2025.
If you are starting a vineyard or thinking about starting a vineyard, apply to be on the podcast for Fritz’s help planning your vineyard - https://www.vineyardundergroundpodcast.com/contact/
Come grow with Fritz through VirtualViticultureAcademy.com! Save $75 off your first year of membership with the code Underground at checkout.
Today’s Guest:
Paul Crout is a Pest Control Advisor and Certified Crop Advisor, and one of the foremost experts on wine grape nutrition and spray adjuvants. He currently works as an Agronomist with Helena Agri-Enterprises in California.
Connect with Paul on LinkedIn and learn more about being Grape Wise with Helena.
Episode Sponsor:
Today’s episode was brought to you by SensorInsight and by Vigneron Toy Store.
Thank you to SensorInsight for sponsoring today’s episode. SensorInsight is a leader in vineyard soil moisture and weather monitoring. SensorInsight designs state-of-the-art, remote satellite monitoring of soil moisture and weather, bringing actionable information for your vineyard operations straight to your phone, with real-time data so you can best decide when to turn on your irrigation, how long to run the system, and learn how the dynamics of soil moisture can change over a given season. Visit them today at https://sensorinsight.io. And don’t forget to mention the code Underground to receive a discount on your SensorInsight solution.
Thank you to Vigneron Toy Store for sponsoring today’s episode. Vigneron Toy Store specializes in Harvesters, Sprayers, Frost Mitigation Equipment, Canopy Management Trimmers, and more. As grape growers themselves, they can expertly help you determine the best equipment for your specific vineyard needs. And, as a special offer for our podcast listeners, you can save 5% off in-stock machines by entering the promo code Underground on the contact form at vignerontoystore.com.
Episode Credits
If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.