Grape Camp 2023 Sessions and Speakers

Welcome and Keynote Speaker

Dr. Pete W. Jacoby, Professor and Plant Ecologist, Washington State University

Join Dr. Pete Jacoby, professor and plant ecologist at Washington State University, for an exploration of the development of direct root-zone (DRZ) subsurface irrigation—from its inception to present use. With a focus on research findings on water savings and impact on yield and grape quality, Dr. Jacoby will outline major findings reported in published international scientific journals. The session will also cover the implications on vine root development, enhancing grape resilience to severe drought conditions, use of soil water sensors to guide irrigation scheduling, and use of automated water management. An opportunity for questions and discussion will follow.

Dr. Pete Jacoby has been engaged with winegrape research and extension since returning to a faculty position in 2013. He developed a technique for delivering subsurface drip irrigation without use of buried lines known as direct root-zone, or DRZ. His current research also involves the use of soil water sensors in automated irrigation scheduling. His research has been conducted in commercial vineyards with grower cooperators, supported by funding from grants provided by the Washington wine industry, and state, regional, and federal agencies.

Down to the Last Drop: Water Science and Water Policy for the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas

Andrew Weinberg, Geoscientist, Texas Water Development Board

Groundwater conditions vary widely across the Southern High Plains in terms of water availability, water quality, and water use. We’ll look at current conditions in the aquifer and review the planning process that works from the desired future conditions expressed by local groundwater districts to calculate modeled available groundwater and then develop projects that can be funded under the State Water Plan. We’ll discuss how the TWDB supports agricultural water conservation and innovative water technologies and how these programs may play out in the rapidly changing environment of the High Plains. Finally, we’ll discuss the concept of sustainable use in groundwater systems and whether that has a place in the Ogallala region.

Andrew Weinberg has been with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Groundwater Division since 2009. From 2009 to 2017 he led an investigation of water resources in the playa lakes on the Southern High Plains and their role in recharging the Ogallala Aquifer. Currently he leads the TWDB Recorder Well program, which collects real-time water-level data statewide. Previous positions have included remedial investigations at Air Force bases from Alabama to Alaska, water resource assessments in southern Africa, and a short stint tying vines at a boutique vineyard in Portola Valley.

State and Local Climate Patterns

Matt Ernst, Local Meteorologist, Fox34, Lubbock; William Baule, Climatologist, Texas A&M University

Join meteorologist Matt Ernst and researcher William Baule for an in-depth look at state and local climate patterns that can affect grape growers in Texas.

Matt Ernst is a meteorologist who has worked in Lubbock broadcasting for the past 2 decades, delivering reports on TV, radio, and digital. He is a Texas Tech University alumnus and also holds a certificate in meteorology from Mississippi State University. He began delivering weather on TV at FOX34 in 2006. He has held various roles, including reporter, anchor, web manager and chief meteorologist.

William (B.J.) Baulle’s research primarily lies at the intersection of weather, climate, and agriculture. Some past research projects have focused on spatial and temporal changes in the character of precipitation from light accumulation events to extremes, the effects of weather and climate on nitrogen loss in agricultural systems, and utilizing sub-irrigation as a potential adaptation strategy to climate change. He has worked in Nebraska, Michigan, and Texas on climate-related issues and research.

Economic Analysis of Verjus Production in Texas

Andreea Botezatu, Assistant Professor & Extension Enology Specialist, Texas A&M University

Join Dr. Andreea Botezatu for an exploration of the economic viability of producing verjus (“green juice”) from cluster-thinned grapes. Utilizing established economic analyses methods and insights from an expert panel, a comprehensive partial budget model was constructed for vineyards and wineries, focusing on the financial impact of verjus production. Results will be presented for vineyards and wineries under different scenarios. In short, verjus production and its use as an acidifier or a standalone culinary product were shown to be not only economically feasible, but also, under certain conditions, lead to increased profitability.

Dr. Andreea Botezatu earned her bachelor’s degree in horticulture, majoring in oenology, from the University of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, Iasi, Romania, in 2000 and her master’s degree in agricultural management from the same university in 2001. She obtained her Ph.D. in oenology in 2013 from Brock University in St. Catharines, Canada, where she then held a postdoctoral position from 2013–2015. In 2017, Andreea joined the faculty of the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University as Assistant Professor and Extension Enology Specialist.

Legislative Update

Kyle Frazier, TWGGA Legislative Advocate

Presented by TWGGA’s legislative advocate Kyle Frazier, this session will review the recent 88th Texas legislative session and discuss issues of interest to the industry.

Kyle Frazier is the owner of Kyle Frazier Consulting, Inc., where he has represented the legislative interests of his business clients since 1998. His clients’ interests include water desalination, water rights, healthcare, alcohol regulation, and taxes.

Wine Talk: Update From Texas A&M Agriculture Specialist

Dr. Patrick O’Brien, Texas A&M University

During this short Wine Talk session, Dr. Patrick O’Brien will introduce himself and some of his previous research topics and findings, as well as potential future research directions.

Patrick O’Brien, Ph.D., began his role as Assistant Professor and Extension Viticulture Specialist for the High Plains and West Texas at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in August 2023. Prior to that he spent the previous seven years conducting viticultural research at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. A Canadian citizen, he has been involved in grape and wine production for the past 16 years, with industry experience in Canada, France, and Australia.

Wine Talk: Update From Texas Tech Viticulture

Dr. Thayne Montague, Professor of Horticulture, Texas Tech University

During this short Wine Talk session, Dr. Thayne Montague will introduce himself and some of his previous research topics and findings, as well as potential future research directions.

Dr. Thayne Montague received his B.S. degree from Brigham Young niversity, an M.S. degree Auburn University, and his Ph.D. from Utah State University. Dr. Montague began his career at Texas Tech University and is currently a Horticulture Physiology Professor with a joint appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research. His teaching responsibilities are in the area of horticulture, viticulture, and plant propagation. Dr. Montague conducts research at Texas Tech and Texas A&M AgriLife Research and is focused on woody plant physiology, plant/microclimate interactions, drought tolerance, and water use of woody ornamental plants, grapevines, strawberries, and other fruit crops.

Wine Talk: What’s the Buzz About Biopesticides?

Dr. Sanjay Antony-Babu, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University

During this short Wine Talk session, Dr. Sanjay Antony-Babu will introduce himself and some of his previous research topics and findings, as well as potential future research directions.

Dr. Sanjay Antony-Babu has 2 decades of research experience studying plant and soil microbiomes. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Newcastle University in the U.K., continued into his postdoctoral research in France with Sorbonne University and INRAE. At Texas A&M University, his lab specializes in unraveling microbial interactions’ intricacies and their implications for plant health. He particularly emphasizes interactions that heighten plant susceptibility to pathogens and pests. His lab’s approach combines molecular sequencing and metabolomics with computational biology models. Leveraging insights into imbalanced microbiomes, including dysbiosis and pathobiomes, his lab crafts innovative mitigation strategies like biopesticides and biofertilizers.

Wine Talk: Four Ways to Make Mourvèdre

Maureen Qualia, Enology Lecturer, Texas Tech University

During this short Wine Talk session, join enology researcher Maureen Qualia for a wine tasting exploring Mourvèdre made in four different ways: direct-to-press rosé, Saignée rosé, and two red table wines.

Maureen Qualia is a senior lecturer of enology at Texas Tech University based at the Hill Country University Center in Fredericksburg, Texas. She received a B.S. in nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.S. in enology from California State University at Fresno. Maureen has actively worked in commercial wine production for more than 15 years in both California and Texas. At Texas Tech, she developed and teaches courses for the Winemaking Certificate Program, which is designed for wine industry entrepreneurs, winemakers, cellar workers, and prospective winery employees.

Wine Talk: 20 Years of Growing Grapes in Paso Robles: Developing Grower Quality Improvement Strategies

Joe Plummer

During this short Wine Talk session, join vineyard expert Joe Plummer and discover best practices, tips, and tricks for data collection in your vineyard.

Following a 37-year career in the chemical industry, Joe Plummer developed and operated a 67-acre winegrape vineyard in the Paso Robles AVA (Paso Robles, California), providing quality fruit to many of the high-end wineries in the area. He is recognized as a leader in the effort to improve winegrape quality in the region. He sold the California property in mid-2022 and retired to Boerne, Texas.

Que Syrah, Syrah: From Ground to Bottle

Garrett Irwin, Adelphos Vineyard; Jim Evans, Lost Oak Winery; Akhil Reddy, Reddy Vineyards

Explore syrah—from ground to bottle—during this interactive tasting and educational experience with expert grape growers and producers.

Garrett Irwin has been the vineyard manager of Cerro Santo Vineyards for 10 years and also serves as the assistant winemaker for Adelphos Cellars. After receiving his master’s degree at Texas Tech University, he taught Spanish at Idalou High School until leaving to become full-time vineyard manager in 2013. Now, alongside his work in the vineyard, he brings his thoughtfulness and intentionality into helping Manuel Lechuga, the head winemaker, produce the highest quality wines possible from the special Texas High Plains fruit.

Jim Evans has been harvesting grapes and making wine in Texas since 1981. Jim graduated from Texas A&M University in 1984 and went to work making wine for the University of Texas System Experimental Viticulture and Enology program. Jim is now Executive Winemaker for Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, Texas. Jim was president of TWGGA in 2014. He is also coauthor, along with Nancy Barrus, of the book A Handbook for Wine and Must Analysis.

The son of an immigrant cotton and peanut farmer with a Ph.D. in soil and plant science, Akhil Reddy and his siblings visited the family farm outside of Lubbock, Texas, regularly. They made the farm their playground, climbing tractors, making mud pies, and roaming the fields together. Eventually, Akhil’s father, Dr. Vijay Reddy, put him to work in his newly planted vineyard in the Texas High Plains AVA, tying baby vines, learning how to drive a truck, and working other jobs in the vineyard through high school. Along with becoming an Eagle Scout, Akhil grew very fond of the land and outdoors. Akhil attended University of the Pacific in Stockton and San Francisco, California. It was in San Francisco that he experienced an immense culinary and wine culture. He graduated dental school at the early age of 23 and returned to Dallas, Texas, in 2008 to start his practice. Always interested in wine, he became more involved in his father’s wine grape farming operations and finally joined his father as a business partner in 2009.

Grape Camp 2023 Field Excursion

Danny Hillin, Extension Viticulture Program Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Lood Kotze, Winemaker, Reddy Vinyards; Akhil Reddy, Reddy Vineyards

Experience the first-ever Grape Camp Field Excursion! Get in the field with experts to explore grape-growing and winemaking topics that matter to you, including equipment demos, precision viticulture, weather and climate, hail netting, custom crush, and more. The Grape Camp 2023 Field Excursion will be hosted at Reddy Vineyards. Admission to the Field Excursion is included in full Grape Camp registration or Thursday-only Grape Camp registration. 

If you are attending, please note that attendees are encouraged to drive individually or carpool directly to Reddy Vineyards, where lunch and hands-on learning will take place Thursday afternoon. Group transport will not be provided. The vineyard is approximately 40 minutes from the Overton Hotel. Time has been built into Thursday’s schedule to account for this travel time. Click here for driving instructions.

Daniel Hillin is a Viticulture Program Specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service who focuses on providing research-based education to grape producers and winemakers for the High Plains and West Texas grape-growing regions. His areas of focus include improving overall vineyard soil health, increasing water use efficiency, mitigating the effects of winter injury, and increasing overall vineyard uniformity. He is currently based at the Lubbock Research Station in Lubbock, Texas.

Born and raised in South Africa, near Cape Town, Lood Kotze pursued his passion for wine studying viticulture and enology at the University of Stellenbosch. Throughout his 16 years in the industry, Kotze has had numerous wines receive 90+ ratings and best-of-show awards and is a regular speaker at tasting panels and a certified wine judge. He became exectuvie winemaker and viticulturist at Reddy Vineyards after previously managing a large custom crush winery in Sonoma, California.

The son of an immigrant cotton and peanut farmer with a Ph.D. in soil and plant science, Akhil Reddy and his siblings visited the family farm outside of Lubbock, Texas, regularly. They made the farm their playground, climbing tractors, making mud pies, and roaming the fields together. Eventually, Akhil’s father, Dr. Vijay Reddy, put him to work in his newly planted vineyard in the Texas High Plains AVA, tying baby vines, learning how to drive a truck, and working other jobs in the vineyard through high school. Along with becoming an Eagle Scout, Akhil grew very fond of the land and outdoors. Akhil attended University of the Pacific in Stockton and San Francisco, California. It was in San Francisco that he experienced an immense culinary and wine culture. He graduated dental school at the early age of 23 and returned to Dallas, Texas, in 2008 to start his practice Always interested in wine, he became more involved in his father’s wine grape farming operations and finally joined his father as a business partner in 2009.

More Field Excursion speakers and topics to come!