Join us for an evening exploring the Geology of Wine!
Experience a unique dinner to wrap up your week at IMAGE where we’ll delve into the fascinating relationship between geology and wine. Discover how different soil compositions, climates, and geochemistry impact the flavor of your favorite wines.
Food and wine during the event are included in the price. If you arrive early, non-event wines and beers will be available for purchase from Perbacco- they have a lovely listing of Italian wines on their winelist!
Vineyard and Wine Science Speakers:
Fritz Westover
Fritz Westover has been working hands-on in the viticulture industry since 1999, assisting growers in the eastern, southern, and western United States. He began as a vineyard worker for the Chaddsford Winery in southeastern Pennsylvania, while obtaining his BS in horticulture from Penn State University. Fritz completed his MS in 2003 from the Penn State Department of Plant Pathology, where he worked on projects including grapevine decline in replanted vineyards, grape disease management, and the science of compost application in vineyards.
Fritz has worked internationally as an assistant winemaker for the 2004 harvest at Caiarossa Vineyards and Winery in Pisa, Italy. From 2005 to 2007, Fritz served as Virginia Tech’s Viticulture Research-Extension Associate at the Alson H. Smith Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, Virginia. From 2007 to 2013 he served as Viticulture Extension Program Specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service where he worked statewide on developing viticulture education and research programs. Fritz worked in California from 2013 to 2015 as Technical Program Coordinator with the Vineyard Team, a leading grower group in the Central Coast of California, where he developed hands-on educational programs and applied research demonstrations to enhance vineyard sustainability. Fritz continues to consult for vineyard clients in more than five states in the southeastern US, serving as a leading resource for growers of Pierce’s disease tolerant and vinifera winegrapes. Westover Vineyard Advising –
Chris Piela Cox
Chris Piela Cox completed her BS in Marine Science and Geology from the University of Miami in 2008 and her MS in Geologic Oceanography from Texas A&M in 2010. She has worked in the energy industry since 2009. Chris first learned about wine as a bartender, and continued learning through travel to observe different vineyard environments around the world and courses through the Texas Tech University viticulture and winemaking program. Chris and her spouse relocated after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston (2017) and planted a vineyard in Deep East Texas (2019). She currently works for bp as an exploration geoscientist and operates Pineywoods Vineyard, winery and tasting room in Hemphill, Texas.