Fritz Westover
Viticulturist
Fritz Westover is the Viticulturist and owner of Westover Vineyard Advising, based in Houston, Texas. Fritz obtained his BS in horticulture and MS in Plant Pathology from Penn State University. He specializes in vineyard consulting & education, promoting technology & sustainability through applied research and hands-on vineyard advising in the south and southeastern US. Fritz applies a unique set of viticulture skills to his programs, drawing from more than 15 years experience in the vineyard industry including extension and outreach positions in Virginia, Texas, and California. In his spare time, Fritz enjoys trail running with his canine companion, active time with his family, gardening, and practicing Italian over a glass of wine. Read more about Fritz here.
Melody Crain
Vineyard Client Support
Melody Crain joined the Westover Vineyard Advising team in early 2016 to assist with day-to-day business operations, enabling Fritz to spend more time interacting with clients. Prior to joining the team, Melody worked for Shell Oil Company for 12 years followed by 4 years at home starting a family. In her spare time, Melody enjoys running, playing with her daughter, and drinking wine, of course!
Current Interns
Michael Maynard
Vineyard Field Intern
Michael Maynard is working with the Westover Vineyard Advising team in 2018 to provide field support. His tasks include site scouting, plant stress data collection, and the documentation of grapevine growth status & phenological stage. His work will help assist the Texas High Plains grape growers with their irrigation scheduling and management endeavors. Michael plans to graduate from Texas Tech University in Fall 2019 with a Bachelors of Science in Plant and Soil Science, with a concentration in Viticulture and Enology. In his free time, when not drinking or making wine, he enjoys sports, playing music, and traveling.
Past Interns
Michael Hellman
Vineyard Field Intern
Michael Hellman worked with the Westover Vineyard Advising team in 2017 to provide field support including collecting plant stress, soil moisture and grapevine phenology data for irrigation projects as well as other data collection to assist with timely vineyard management decisions. Michael graduated from Texas Tech University in December 2017 with a degree in Plant and Soil Science with concentrations in Viticulture and Enology. In his free time, he enjoys league play in billiards and bowling as well as an occasional fishing trip with his dog Kiva.
Sarah Atwood
Vineyard Field Intern
Sarah Atwood worked with the Westover Vineyard Advising team in 2016 to provide field support and test distance advising and vineyard scouting technologies for clients in Georgia. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Communication at the University of Georgia and is currently improving her viticulture and enology skills in California as a Harvest Intern at Outpost Wines. In her free time, Sarah enjoys home brewing, biking, and exploring new areas.
Kelly Allyn
Vineyard Field Intern
Kelly Allyn worked directly with Fritz in 2014 when he served as Viticulture Program Specialist for the Vineyard Team, a leading grower organization promoting vineyard sustainability in California. Kelly assisted with data collection for irrigation demonstrations and provided support for educational programs for a grower membership including over 80,000 acres of grapes. In 2015 she completed her Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Kelly is currently working as a Lab Technician at E & J Gallo Winery. In her spare time she enjoys brewing, biking, and hiking. She aspires to be winemaker with a strong foundation in viticulture and chemistry.