Winemakers On Fire, Issue #36

Good day, and a warm welcome!

Meet the winemaker taking South Africa's first carbon-neutral winery into the future. Alicia Rechner has been crafting acclaimed wines at Backsberg Family Wines since 2002, and in this exclusive interview, she shares her vision for leading South Africa's first carbon-neutral winery into the future after its acquisition by DGB. Alicia shares her fascinating insights into how she maintains Backsberg's legacy of innovation and sustainability while creating balanced, expressive wines. 

Also, this week we uncover the latest trends and insights shaping the world of wine packaging in 2024. From "Every Day Premiumisation" to the "Balance of AI and Creativity," we'll explore the dynamic forces at play and offer actionable advice for wineries and designers looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Stand Out with Artful Messaging

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• It allows you to tell your unique story: The wine industry is all about storytelling, and having a personal brand allows you to tell your own unique story and create a memorable and emotional connection with your customers.

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Backsberg’s Legacy of Craftsmanship: Winemaker Alicia Rechner Shares Her Vision and Values

This week, we take an inside look at Backsberg Family Wines in Franschhoek, South Africa, from the perspective of winemaker Alicia Rechner. Alicia has been with Backsberg since 2002 and has seen the winery evolve over the years into a leader in sustainability and crafting balanced, approachable wines. She discusses Backsberg's legacy as South Africa's first carbon-neutral winery, her winemaking philosophy of capturing the essence of the vineyard, and the opportunities and challenges that have come with Backsberg's acquisition by DGB. Alicia also shares insights on how she maintains the family-owned spirit of Backsberg while implementing innovative new techniques and her rewarding yet challenging role as winemaker. This interview gives us a fascinating glimpse into the vision and values shaping this storied Franschhoek winery.

You began working at Backsberg in 2002. How have the estate and winemaking evolved over your time here? 

The Backsberg team has always been innovative wine growers, and we have managed to stay abreast of the changing times. We are a youthful-looking brand with years of expertise under our belts and an environmentally sound conscience, always evolving to remain current.  

Backsberg prides itself on being South Africa's first carbon-neutral winery. Can you tell me more about the sustainability practises you have implemented? 

Verified under the PAS 2060:2014 verification for carbon neutrality, Backsberg calculates our yearly TCO2 usage from grape to client, and we offset our carbon emissions with projects that are pertinent to the current socio and environmental climate via Credible Carbon. Projects include the Kuyasa Project in Khayelitsha, the Stellenbosch Community Recycling Project, and our very own internal Bamboo Project. This ensures we stay at the forefront of environmental stewardship and are part of the global Carbon offsetting community. You can learn more about our efforts here: http://backsberg.co.za/carbon-neutral/ 

Backsberg wines are known for their "drinkability" and balance. What is your winemaking philosophy to achieve this style? 

Great ingredients! We receive the healthiest fruit from responsible growers. I really plan my harvest and what will be used in the process. Each additive is carefully considered. I love the science and chemistry behind making juicy, easy-drinking, yet concentrated, true-to-the-vineyard wines. The amount of active research on the topic keeps us winemakers talking for months into the next harvest. The balance comes with time and a true understanding of your vineyard blocks, along with a relationship with the authentic cultivar character that we see and smell during fermentation. It’s something truly special to be able to capture this essence for the drinker to experience in years to come. 

How does being nestled in the Franschhoek Mountains influence the character of the grapes and wines produced at Backsberg?  

While the full Backsberg stable is produced in our upcycled winery in the Franschhoek Valley, not all our fruit stems from this location. Franschhoek is like its very own, or the smallest, wine country. From warm and cool mountain slopes to wide valley floors suitable for growing white and red grapes, several wine styles are feasible options. 

In terms of Wine of Origin Franschhoek wines, we make two delightful styles of Chardonnay. Our Smuggled Vines Chardonnay is from an extraordinary high-elevation site on cool morning sun, east-facing slopes. This gives the wine a mineral crystal vibrancy that is unchallenged by any other vineyard we work with. Our Citrus Hill Chardonnay hails from the valley floor with all the attributes of an alluvial soil-grown chardonnay. It is quite unbelievable to think that these two wines are grown a few kilometres apart. They are so incredibly different.

Backsberg was acquired by DGB in 2021. What opportunities have you seen from joining a larger wine group? Any challenges? 

Our opportunities are in the fruit we’re able to receive and the partner growers we work so closely alongside. Being part of a larger group allows one to have accreditations and certifications that wouldn’t always be feasible for smaller wineries, which in turn opens doors to export markets we may not have been able to reach prior. Working with other winemakers as colleagues is an enriching experience, and there is a kinship of learning from one another that I have not experienced before. We are a team of friends who simply cannot wait to see one another and just talk wine, vineyards, and barrels. 

The challenges we face as winemakers are in forecasting and predicting the volumes of wine we will need in the future since wine is not an instantly made product. It takes up to 12 months to plan and make a fruity, unoaked white wine, 24 months for a barrel-aged, full-bodied white wine, and up to 48 months to plan and produce a premium red wine. Making sure you have the right vineyards planted for these wines is a long-term process, so guessing what a wine will do going forward is our biggest challenge. Investment in premium wine is spent long before it is ever purchased. 

How do you maintain Backsberg's family-owned identity and legacy with this acquisition? 

Our brand revolves around stories and anecdotes of the past, and Simon Back our fourth-generation proprietor, still sits on the board of our joint entity, Backsberg Family Wines. Our wines are aptly named after people and places of significance to the Backsberg history. The pioneering spirit of Backsberg’s past lives on through our brand. It is the brand. 

What new innovations in winemaking, sustainability, etc. do you hope to implement under DGB? 

The company is very open-minded and takes an exciting and forward-thinking approach to all things new and innovative. Our fully upcycled winery has been modernised with new advancements. It’s hard to believe that the stainless-steel tanks are over 60 years old! It looks like a modern winery. I am playing with a lot of new tech that speaks to both winemaking and sustainability. Not only does it involve operating machinery, but accurate measurements as well as computerised timing can save on electricity output. This makes sure cooling and pump activity are only functioning as needed and never mindlessly “just on”. It affords us a sense of control. 

How do you see the Backsberg wine portfolio evolving in terms of styles, blends, etc.?

It is always good to keep a wine’s portfolio stable but interesting. I do not foresee big changes, but I do see a yearly improvement in my understanding of the vineyard, the wines, and the marketing vision to ensure unity that is in demand enough to achieve long-term stability for the brand. 

You’ve worked under multiple generations of the Back family. How has their vision influenced you as a winemaker?

In each of the generations, I found a theme that resonated with me. I’m the type of wine person who loves the vine, its end product, and simply being a part of the wine world. I’m conscious of wastage, the usage of resources, as well as needing to understand each product, each ingredient, and the packaging we use to form an educated decision towards the end goal. I then consider the justification for its usage. I believe in doing it, but not overdoing it. 

What’s the most rewarding part of being Backsberg’s winemaker? Most challenging?  

The most rewarding part is to walk past our tasting facility and see people enjoying our wines, or walking past a random restaurant and spotting a bottle of Backsberg on the table. This is something special—being able to see the wine being enjoyed and selected by a consumer. The most challenging aspect would be being able to make sure I am always one step ahead of what is going to be needed for the brand and its longevity. The clarity of timing, planning, and vision. The vineyard can never be too small. The wine can never be enough. Basically, the biggest challenge is to keep everyone’s glasses full and at a level of quality that we as a team can be proud of. 

Thank you, Alicia, for sharing Backsberg’s legacy and story with our readers. We wish you and your team at Backsberg every success in the future.

Raising the Bar: A Comprehensive Look at Wine Packaging Trends for 2024 - Part 2

Welcome to Part Two of "Raising the Bar: A Comprehensive Look at Wine Packaging Trends for 2024." This week, we delve into two captivating topics that are shaping the future of the wine industry: "Every Day Premiumisation" and "Balancing AI and Creativity in the Wine Industry."

As consumers increasingly seek higher-quality wines as part of their daily routines, the trend of "Every Day Premiumisation" presents both challenges and opportunities for wineries and design agencies. We'll explore how producers can adapt their offerings and branding strategies to cater to this growing demand for premium, everyday wines. From innovative packaging solutions to engaging storytelling, we'll uncover the creative ways wineries are elevating their products to meet consumer expectations.

In the second part of this article, we'll dive into the complex interplay between technology and creativity in wine label design. The rise of AI has brought both efficiency and challenges to the design process. On one hand, it enables faster and more data-driven design, but on the other, it raises questions about preserving the human touch and cultural richness inherent in winemaking. We'll delve into the strategies and considerations for finding the right balance between AI's benefits and the need for authentic creativity in wine label design.

The Trend: Every Day Premiumisation

With the cost of living increasing, we see this affecting almost every consumer in the market. This results in consumers increasingly stocking their shopping baskets with 'little' luxuries, no matter the price point. 

At the other end of the scale to Quiet Luxury, we will see the premiumisation of more everyday drinks brands, perhaps combined with a focus on sustainability, as it becomes a bigger priority for businesses and the consumer. For example, bag-in-box brands, especially in wine, are getting new forms and premium graphics that will help elevate this more sustainable format in the new year. Proprietary glass, like that seen on Paddington Lane, helps elevate a wine brand in the same way as spirits do so well. This trend presents both challenges and opportunities for wine producers.

Challenges 

Climate change is one key challenge, as changing weather patterns affect grape harvests. Producers must adapt vineyard practices and blend wines smarter to maintain quality and style. Consumer preferences are also evolving, with demand rising for attributes like organic, low-alcohol, and sustainable wines. The wine industry faces competition from craft spirits, hard seltzers, and non-alcoholic beverages. Economic factors like inflation and recession risks may make consumers more selective. There are also rising costs related to sustainability initiatives and the specialised equipment needed to produce premium wines.

Opportunities 

The growth in demand for premium wines creates opportunities to introduce new premium offerings, especially among younger consumers willing to spend more. Producers can highlight quality and provenance stories to justify higher prices. There is room for innovation in packaging and branding to distinguish premium wines. The trend also allows for higher margins for those producers able to tap into rising preferences for attributes like organic and sustainable. Overall, everyday premiumisation provides a pathway to trade consumers up to higher price points and deliver exciting new wine options to the market.

The trend of everyday premiumisation presents opportunities for the wine industry. By adapting to changing consumer preferences and focusing on quality, innovation, and sustainability, producers can position themselves to succeed in this evolving landscape. The key will be to align merchandise planning, branding, packaging, and messaging with the consumer trend towards drinking better wine every day. Producers that find ways to deliver on these fronts at accessible premium price points will be best positioned to benefit.

The Trend: AI Integration

In November 2022, we saw the explosion of AI on the design scene, resulting in many design agencies, including Denomination Design, investing in AI for their creative teams. This initiative enables designers to harness AI as another tool in their design toolkit. By incorporating AI into their workflow, designers can enhance their creativity and efficiency, generating a wider range of design options more quickly. This forward-thinking approach has become increasingly common in the industry, as agencies seek to stay ahead of the curve and leverage the latest technologies to deliver innovative design solutions.

The rise of AI has profoundly impacted the design industry, streamlining processes, enabling big data analysis, and creating visual content. However, concerns exist about potential negative effects on creativity and the human touch in design. In the wine industry, AI presents both opportunities and challenges. It can bring benefits such as personalised label design and data-driven marketing, but it's important to maintain the cultural richness of winemaking.

Balancing AI and Creativity in the Wine Industry

Despite these opportunities, it's crucial to strike a balance between the benefits of AI and the preservation of the human touch in wine label design. Winemaking is a cultural art form, and the design of the label is an extension of that artistry. AI can enhance and streamline the design process, but it should not overshadow the importance of human creativity and cultural sensitivity in wine label design.

Striking a balance between AI and creativity will be the key to success in the evolving landscape of wine label design.

A huge debt of gratitude to Rowena Curlewis, CEO of Denomination Design, for pointing me in the right direction, as well as John Nicolson, Bravo Design, Ingrid Reyes, M&A Creative Agency, David Byerlee, Byerlee Design, and Wilma De Nysschen, Graft Design. Without your insights, this article would not have been possible.

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