076: Growing Grapes Around the World – England with Dr. Belinda Kemp
Release Date: 07/22/2025
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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 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 traditional varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir toward disease-resistant hybrid grapes, including the introduction of PiWi varieties. She shares the challenges of managing common diseases like downy and powdery mildew and emerging threats like black rot.
Listeners also get a glimpse into the latest research projects at NIAB, including the effects of pruning methods on yield, the role of calcium in sparkling wine stability, and the use of companion plants to improve vineyard biodiversity. Dr. Kemp explains how NIAB integrates technology and sustainability — from acoustic soil monitoring to underground rhizolabs — to support growers and improve wine quality.
Whether you grow grapes in England or a similar cool, wet climate like the eastern U.S. or Canada, this episode offers applicable knowledge for tackling vineyard challenges and embracing innovation.
In this episode, you will hear:
-
England's wine industry is expanding rapidly, with a strong focus on sparkling wines
-
New disease-resistant grape varieties are being trialed to meet climate and production demands
-
Variability in spring weather creates challenges for cover crops, planting, and pest pressure
-
Calcium stability is becoming an issue in sparkling wine production — NIAB is studying causes and solutions
-
Companion planting and acoustic soil monitoring are part of a systems approach to regenerative viticulture
Follow and Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the ‘+’ in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now.
Resources:
Join Fritz live to learn about What Our Grapevine Leaves Are Telling Us – Diagnosing & Treating Symptoms on August 26, 2025 | 5:00-6:30 PM CST. Register for FREE - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/symptons.
If you’re starting a vineyard or thinking about starting a vineyard, visit VirtualViticulureAcademy.com/growsmart to get Fritz’s online Prospective Winegrape Grower Course to help you get your vineyard planned and planted correctly from the start. Use the code PODCAST at checkout to save $89.00 as a thank you for being a podcast listener.
If you have questions about today’s episode or ideas for future episodes, go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button.
Today’s Guest:
Dr. Belinda Kemp is a Group Leader for Viticulture and Oenology Research at the new Wine Innovation Centre in East Malling, Kent, UK. Her current research encompasses vineyard to final sparkling wine research that includes regenerative viticulture practices, Net Zero grape growing, sparkling wine flavor, and cool climate still winemaking.
Connect with Belinda and view her research - https://www.niab.com/about/people/dr-belinda-kemp.
Episode Sponsor:
Today’s episode was brought to you by Sunridge Nurseries
Thank you to Sunridge Nurseries for sponsoring today’s episode. Sunridge Nurseries is the exclusive nursery sponsor of the Vineyard Underground podcast. They have been a family-owned company for over 45 years, and their dedicated focus on quality and consistency has grown them into the largest supplier of grapevines in both North and South America and the industry leader in nursery standards. Visit them today at SunridgeNurseries.com and mention the code Underground to receive a podcast listener discount on your vine order.
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.