Show Notes
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, and the role of sweat equity. They also explore soil testing, nutrient management, and the importance of addressing amendments before planting. The conversation digs into key topics such as vineyard orientation, trellis design, row spacing, mechanization potential, and wildlife management. Fritz also emphasizes strategies to minimize risks from frost events, disease pressure, and poor site preparation. Whether you're a prospective grower or expanding your existing operation, this episode provides guidance and a real-world example of how thoughtful planning lays the groundwork for decades of vineyard success. In this episode, you will hear: The importance of soil testing and incorporating amendments before planting Budgeting realistically for vineyard establishment and equipment needs Balancing wine program goals with varieties suited to local conditions Considering labor, mechanization, and long-term management in vineyard design Why starting small and scaling over time helps new growers avoid costly mistakes 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: If you're interested in Fritz's help with getting your vineyard planned and planted, learn more about his Vineyard Establishment Package at https://www.VirtualViticultureAcademy.com/GetEstablished and use the code GetEstablished to save $499 off your purchase of this package 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: Matthieu Wheeler is the winemaker at Cassidy Hill Vineyard and the founder and owner of Wheeler Winery. Connect with Matthieu or learn more about Cassidy Hill Vineyard and Wheeler Winery. Cassidy Hill Vineyard Website - https://cassidyhillvineyard.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057098184176# Wheeler Winery Website - wheelerwinery.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wheelerwinery/ Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Vigneron Toy Store. 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.
More from Vineyard Underground
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 community where growers can ask questions, share vineyard photos and challenges, and learn from one another. Fritz discusses how the academy now connects growers across the United States and around the world. Listen in to learn about the free grower guides, and listeners can take advantage of a membership discount: $75 off the first year with code Underground. In this episode, you will hear: Founding the Virtual Viticulture Academy in 2018
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 movement among host plants, and why spring nymph counts don't necessarily tell growers where adults will show up later. They also talk scouting, insecticide timing, tree of heaven, and research into gentler controls, parasitoid wasps, and even vibrations sent through trellis wires. There's no single fix yet, but Julie shares why she's hopeful — and why growers' help matters. In this episode, you will hear: A decade of spotted lanternfly research in the United States
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 through Dr. Gilbert's Merlot study that showed roughly 95% of the vine microbiome originates from the soil, and we discuss how these early microbial reactions can influence wine character before commercial yeast ever goes in. The conversation then turns to real-world vineyard practices. We cover how herbicides, tillage, compaction, and inputs can suppress or reshape soil biology. Listeners also hear about emerging work at the UCSD Soil Health Center, including using soil "prebiotics" and "probiotics" together and developing digital twins of vineyards to time interventions more precisely. In this episode, you will hear: Vines actively recruit microbes from the soil to support health, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance
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 listeners receive is changing; if anything, Fritz feels more energized and inspired to bring fresh ideas to the podcast and the Virtual Viticulture Academy community. In this episode, you will hear: Reasons for relocating to Colorado and the outdoor-focused lifestyle
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 signal it's time to act. Fritz and Kendra cover how to sample and diagnose these issues in the field, when retraining a vine still makes sense, and when replanting is the smarter call. Kendra brings decades of USDA plant pathology experience and now runs her own vineyard consulting practice, giving growers a clear framework for reading the signs before decline spreads across a whole block. Growers walking their older vineyards this fall will find plenty to take back into the rows. In this episode, you will hear: Trunk diseases like esca, Eutypa, and Botryosphaeria dieback, and how fast each one actually kills a vine