Winemakers On Fire, Issue #41

Good day, and a warm welcome!

This week, we bring you a special themed edition of Winemakers on Fire, spotlighting Paxton Wines in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Join us as we introduce Ashleigh Seymour, Paxton's talented winemaker, who brings a unique perspective through her experience in Italy and passion for biodynamic and organic winemaking. We'll explore her dedication to crafting vibrant, drinkable wines that respect tradition while embracing innovative techniques.

As part of our Paxton Wines theme, we'll also delve into the captivating collaboration between Paxton and Byerlee Design. Learn how they've elegantly revitalised the visual identity of Paxton's Single Vineyard Collection, using textured black tones and gold foil highlights to reflect the premium nature of the wines. We'll also discuss the subtle honeycomb pattern that pays homage to Paxton's biodynamic farming practices and the brand's commitment to sustainability through eco-friendly label stock. Don't miss this exciting journey into the world of Paxton Wines and their dedication to design and winemaking excellence.

In Case You Missed It

The Wine Points Rating System: Marketing Lifeline or Marketing Cop-Out?

Here are a few quick takeaways from last week's Uncorking Secrets deep dive:

1. Balance Short-Term Success with Long-Term Branding: Achieving a high-point rating for a wine can lead to short-term success, but focusing solely on this can limit a winery's long-term potential. Striking a balance between producing quality wines and building a strong, recognisable brand is crucial for sustained growth and consumer loyalty. By developing a cohesive branding strategy, wineries can create a lasting impression that goes beyond a single high rating.

2. Leverage Collaboration and Expertise: Wineries should collaborate with marketing and brand-building professionals to develop effective strategies that set them apart in a competitive industry. By working with experts, wineries can identify their unique selling points and communicate them effectively to their target audience. This collaborative approach not only benefits the individual winery but also contributes to the overall growth and reputation of the wine industry.

3. Focus on Intrinsic Value over External Validation: While wine point ratings can be useful for both consumers and wineries, it's essential not to rely on them as the sole indicator of a wine's quality or value. A wine's intrinsic qualities, such as its taste, aroma, and the craftsmanship behind it, should be the primary focus. Wineries should strive for excellence in winemaking and create a compelling brand story that resonates with consumers, rather than relying solely on external validation.

We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our Uncorking Secrets deep dive. If you're curious to learn more about the Wine Points Rating System, we invite you to explore last week's full article. It offers an in-depth look at the subject, complete with fascinating insights and stories. Feel free to click this link if you'd like to delve deeper and learn more.

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Crafting Harmony: Ashleigh Seymour's Biodynamic and Sustainable Winemaking Journey at Paxton Wines

Uncover the story of Ashleigh Seymour, a winemaker who has made it her mission to craft a symphony of flavour while honouring the environment at Paxton Wines. Guided by a deep respect for nature's wisdom, Seymour's approach to winemaking masterfully combines biodynamic and organic principles, refined during her time at Avignonesi in Italy. In a world where numbers often dominate, she breaks the mold by prioritising the unique taste profiles of each batch, ensuring that every wine tells its own captivating tale.

Beyond the vineyard, Seymour champions a sustainable future, leading Paxton Wines to pursue certifications, embrace renewable energy, and support initiatives that protect the local ecosystem. Step into this story of harmony, where winemaking and environmental stewardship unite as one, and discover the magic that unfolds when passion, innovation, and nature come together in Ashleigh Seymour's journey at Paxton Wines.

Paxton is known as a pioneer of biodynamic and organic winemaking practices in McLaren Vale. How do you incorporate these methods into your winemaking process? 

Just as we are custodians of the earth and soil on which we operate our vineyards, hoping to improve them for the next generation, we also endeavour to cause the minimum impact on our environment in the making of wines at Paxton. We take a pragmatic, low-intervention approach and strive to ensure all of our choices are made with a holistic mindset, with the quality of the wine at the forefront. We use the biodynamic calendar to guide us with tasting, picking, and significant winery operations such as racking and bottling.

You worked at the Avignonesi winery in Italy for over a decade. How did that experience shape your approach to winemaking? What key things did you learn there?

Working at Avignonesi and learning about biodynamics changed my life significantly, as did living in the Italian countryside. Both of these things taught me about the cycles of life through the seasons and allowed me to become more in touch with nature, the food that I eat and the impact every step of mine has on our precious planet. Professionally, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a remarkably diverse group of people from various parts of the world and learn from accomplished biodynamics experts, winemakers, and sales and marketing gurus. 

The most important thing that I learned is that the quality of the wine is paramount, followed by everything else. As well as learning about the cosmos and moon cycles and how that influences what we do in the vineyard and winery, learning about biodynamics taught me to question things more, especially in terms of the way things are done in the winery and whether there is a better way we can approach them.

Last year, you were awarded the prestigious Wayne Thomas Scholarship. What will this opportunity allow you to achieve in terms of advancing your winemaking skills and knowledge?  

Receiving the Wayne Thomas Scholarship was a great honour for me, after I had only returned to Australia, specifically McLaren Vale, two years earlier. I was humbled that the region acknowledged the experience in Europe that I could bring to winemaking in McLaren Vale. As part of the scholarship, I was able to complete the Advanced Wine Assessment Course (AWAC), run by the Australia Wine Research Institute (AWRI), which is a week-long wine judging training designed to prepare the participants for the Australian Wine Judging Circuit.

Along with the course, I was also invited to be an associate judge at the McLaren Vale Wine Show and the Barossa Wine Show late last year. After working in Italy, where there is not so much of a culture of wine shows like in some New World countries, it was fabulous to get involved, look at lots of different wines, and meet some incredible people, both from production and journalism. It really helped me then go back to the winery and look at my own wines with a different lens and a constructive view.

After working in Italy for so long, what made you decide to return to Australia and take on the head winemaker role at Paxton?

COVID was the push but not the actual reason, as I did navigate international relocation during a global pandemic… There were many reasons: family, young children, missing the scent of eucalyptus in the air and, to be honest, it was time for a new challenge. The opportunity came up at Paxton, which fit well into my winemaking and life values, so I jumped at the chance to apply and was over the moon when I found out I was successful.

You've mentioned striving to make wines that "breathe vitality" and "ooze drinkability." What specific techniques or methods do you use to achieve these style goals with your wines?

I really try to not make wines by recipe; not every batch gets the same treatment; it really depends on what the grapes have to offer and the end product we are trying to achieve. I think having the courage to work with flavour and not just a specific number is something that has helped with the vitality and drinkability of my wines. It’s also about trying new things; yes, they don’t always work, or you might not find the right market for them, but you have to be willing to give it a go. We have been playing with amphoras, skin contact pinot gris, and canned carbonated wine, with and without flavours.

We don’t have to do these things at the expense of tradition and ‘traditional’ styled wines; the two can co-exist.

Sustainability is important to you. What steps are you taking at Paxton to make wine production more sustainable, from the vineyard through bottling?  

Obviously, being certified biodynamic and organic is a head-start in the right direction but there’s much more than we can do. Our vineyards are now Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) certified, which means we are on a path to continually improve our footprint on the planet and we are investing in solar, reducing our wine glass bottle weight, and trialling different types of packaging. It is also the 1% things that can add up quite significantly as well: label paper sourcing from sustainable materials, using sustainable materials in our cellar door, using technology to improve our water use efficiency in the vineyard and investing in wastewater recycling. 

We are also lucky to have access to recycled wastewater for most of our vineyards in the Mclaren Vale area through the Wilunga Basin project. We also invest in removing noxious weeds around our properties and restoring native flora so that some natural balance can return, and our native fauna can enjoy habitat for years to come. We have honeybees on all of our vineyards as well, which is beneficial not only to us but also to the local areas.

You're expanding Paxton's range to include more alternative grape varieties, like Tempranillo and Graciano. What excites you about working with these less common varieties?

It is really fun to see how different varieties grow and their characteristics throughout the winemaking process. Experimenting with alternative varieties allows us to have something to offer a diverse range of wine drinkers and also for different occasions and food pairing opportunities. It also helps us to manage climate change by identifying varieties that are more adaptable to changing global temperatures.

The McLaren Vale region seems to align well with your organic and biodynamic focus. What is it specifically about the region that makes it so well-suited to these farming practices?

We’re very lucky in McLaren Vale, South Australia, to have a Mediterranean climate with fairly dry growing seasons and most of the rain in the winter months. This generally allows us to experience low pressure for downy and powdery mildew and not have too many issues managing our vineyards from a biodynamic perspective. We do have issues with some weed species that are hard to control but we employ lots of different alternative methods to keep the effects to a minimum. 

McLaren Vale is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world and within the relatively small area, we have lots of different rock bases and soil types, as well as varying altitudes, giving lots of different expressions of fruit and allowing a wide range of varieties to be planted.

Essential Insights

Discover Ashleigh Seymour's unique approach to winemaking at Paxton Wines:

1. Biodynamic and organic principles are at the heart of Paxton's winemaking process. For crucial operations like picking and racking, Seymour adopts a holistic, low-intervention approach. Her experience working at Avignonesi in Italy instilled a deep appreciation for the cycles of nature and a mindset of constantly questioning traditional methods to find better ways.

2. Achieving vitality and drinkability in her wines is a key goal for Seymour. Rather than following recipes, Ashleigh tailors the techniques to each batch, focusing on working with flavour profiles rather than just numbers. This involves experimentation with methods like skin contact, amphoras, and alternative packaging formats like cans, all while respecting traditional styles.

3. Sustainability is a driving force, with Paxton pursuing certifications like Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, investing in solar power, water recycling, and reducing packaging waste. Restoring native flora, supporting bee habitats, and utilising recycled water for irrigation are other initiatives aimed at minimising the environmental footprint.

Thank you, Ashleigh, for sharing your captivating journey as head winemaker at Paxton Wines. We can't wait to see what the future holds for you and Paxton Wines. And also, a big thank you to Priscilla Hennekam for connecting us.

Paxton Wines and Byerlee Design: A Collaboration for Sustainable Elegance in the Single Vineyard Collection

Showcasing excellence: Join us as we explore the brand's collaboration with Byerlee Design to revitalise the visual identity of their Single Vineyard Collection. Discover the intricate details and eco-friendly practices that make these sophisticated labels a reflection of Paxton's unwavering dedication to craftsmanship and environmental responsibility.

Embracing a captivating fusion of darkness and elegance, Paxton Wines, a trailblazer in biodynamic wine production, sought to revamp the visual identity of their esteemed Single Vineyard Collection. The sophisticated labels, adorned with textured black tones and glints of gold foil, undeniably convey the premium standing of the wines they represent. In a subtle homage to Paxton's iconic bee emblem and biodynamic farming ethos, a discreet honeycomb pattern graces the background of each label.

This refined detail, artfully revealed through a blend of gloss and matte varnishes, adds a tactile allure to the packaging while echoing the brand's commitment to sustainability and ingenuity. A testament to their ethos, Paxton Wines has transitioned their entire label portfolio to UPM Raflatac's RafWine Bagasse, a label stock crafted from repurposed sugar cane pulp. This bold move not only accentuates the brand's dedication to eco-conscious practices but also underscores their mission to set new standards in the world of wine.

Thank you, David Byerlee, Creative Director of Byerlee Design, for allowing us to experience the harmony between premium winemaking, innovative design, and environmental responsibility. We wish you continued success in your future creations.

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