Oct 27, 20261h 13m
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...
education
Vineyard Underground
Hosted by Fritz Westover · education · EN
About this Podcast:
What if you could hang out with experienced grape growers, ask them about the science of grape growing, vineyard operations, and more; then take an insight or two to improve your vineyard and ultimately the quality of the wines you produce? That's what we do each week on the Vineyard Underground. Hosted by Fritz Westover –– viticulture expert more than 20 years of experience in the vineyard industry –– every episode is an in-depth look at grape growing methods, care, and even complicated matters of fertilization and pest and disease management? The goal is to provide you with an understanding of the complicated aspects of viticulture science so that experienced and even first-time grape growers will be able to understand and implement new practices in their vineyard.
Pitch Analysis
Required Pod Score for this podcast. PitchCentric checks your profile against host openness, topical fit, and audience signals before you generate a pitch.
Contact path
Verified email
Booking probability
49%
Guest openness
Selective
80/100
Required Score
Sign up to generate a grounded pitch for Vineyard Underground.
Signup to Generate a PitchQuestions about Vineyard Underground
What is Vineyard Underground about?
What if you could hang out with experienced grape growers, ask them about the science of grape growing, vineyard operations, and more; then take an insight or two to improve your vineyard and ultimately the quality of the wines you produce? That's what we do each week on the Vineyard Underground.
Who hosts Vineyard Underground?
Vineyard Underground is hosted by Fritz Westover. The show has published 112 episodes to date.
What has Vineyard Underground covered recently?
Recent episodes include "112: Spray Less: How PIWI Varieties Combat Fungal Disease and Build Vineyard Resilience with Dr. Oliver Trapp" (27 October 2026, 73 minutes), "111: Bonus Episode: Creating Community - Why I Created VVA" (20 October 2026, 9 minutes), and "110: A Decade with the Spotted Lanternfly - Are We Now in Control with Dr. Julie Urban" (13 October 2026, 58 minutes).
How often does Vineyard Underground publish?
Vineyard Underground publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 48 minutes across 112 episodes.
How hard is it to get booked on Vineyard Underground?
Booking probability for Vineyard Underground is 49%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Vineyard Underground requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Vineyard Underground's contact route on record: verified email.
Who should pitch Vineyard Underground?
The strongest fits for Vineyard Underground are Fruit & Nut Farming. Vineyard Underground has an education audience.
About the host
Fritz Westover hosts Vineyard Underground, an education podcast with 112 episodes published.
Verified host email: ████████@████.comSign in to unlock →
Recent episodes
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
Oct 20, 20269 minIn 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...
Oct 13, 202658 minFritz 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...
Sep 29, 202655 minLeading 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...
Sep 22, 20269 minA 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...
View More
Episode #107
107: Is It Time to Pull the Block - Assessing Decline in Older Vines with Dr Kendra Baumgartner
Sep 15, 20261h 9mFritz 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...
Sep 1, 202659 minIn 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...
Aug 25, 202615 minIn 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...
Aug 18, 202634 minIn 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...
Aug 4, 20261h 3mIn 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...
Episode #102
102: Baby Steps Towards Biodynamics & Organic Growing Practices - Part 2 with Thijs Verschuuren
Jul 21, 20261h 5mIn 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...
Episode #101
101: Baby Steps Towards Biodynamics & Organic Growing Practices - Part 1 with Thijs Verschuuren
Jul 7, 20261 hourIn 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...
Jun 23, 202634 minWe 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...
Jun 9, 20261h 6mDr. 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...
May 26, 202632 minSmall 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...
Vineyard Underground
097: Fritz Reviews Reddit Viticulture Advice
May 12, 202640 minWe 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...
Apr 28, 202651 minPlant 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...
Apr 14, 20261 hourOrganic 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...
Mar 31, 202646 minIn 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...
Mar 17, 202659 minPhosphorus 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...
Recent guests
Recent guests on Vineyard Underground. Study who booked and why before you pitch.
Best industries to pitch Vineyard Underground for
PitchCentric classifies Vineyard Underground under these industries. Guests from them are the closest fit, and each links to the best podcasts in that industry.
Similar Podcasts
Shows with the most semantically similar episode content. Pitch one, pitch all; producers cluster.
Grown in Napa Valley
22~313 listeners85% similar
Sustainable Winegrowing
35~505 listeners84% similar
Inside Winemaking - the art and science of growing grapes and crafting wine
33~471 listeners84% similar
Looking Into Wine
25~357 listeners84% similar
Grape Masters by Dutch Wine Apprentice
17~246 listeners84% similar
The Duck Vine
22~315 listeners83% similar
Podcasts like Vineyard Underground
Is this podcast yours and you'd like to remove or correct details? Request removal or email privacy@pitchcentric.com.
Questions about the free trial? See the pricing FAQ