As part of the project to refresh our Botanicals Collection wine labels in 2022, botanical artist Jo Ewing developed detailed embossing elements celebrating the plants that grow alongside our vines. Part of this process resulted in a piece we call 'Grasses Study' - a delicate watercolour exploration of the meadow grasses that thrive in our Waikari and Low Burn vineyards. To mark the release of our 2023 Collection, we produced 75 limited edition prints to share with customers and wine club members, but the story behind Jo’s work reveals much more about the intersection of art, nature, and our winemaking philosophy.
Brand & Marketing Manager Natalie Grace recently spoke with Jo about her approach to botanical art and what drew her to work with Pyramid Valley.
Nature’s playground
Jo's connection to the natural world began early. "Since growing up beside Lake Taupo where the wild outdoors was my playground, I have felt a deep connection to nature," she explains. "As well as encouraging my creative bent, my parents instilled in me a love and reverence for the natural world and taught me about the surrounding flora and fauna."
This foundation flourished when Jo discovered botanical art during travels in England in 1987. After fifteen years working as a landscape designer, that short course set her direction for the next three decades. "I think I have an innate sense of composition which allows me to capture the plant's essence on the page," she says of her approach. "I begin with the outline in pencil before starting to paint in my watercolours, often working in one sitting till it reaches a natural completion. I like the immediacy and flow of working in this way, with no over painting. I get much pleasure from painting plants in all their fine detail, it's like a meditation on nature."
Common ground
What drew Jo to work with Pyramid Valley wasn't just the artistic opportunity, but a shared philosophy. "The philosophy of sustainability and working with nature has become important to me and I am choosing more and more to paint with this in mind," she reflects. "I jumped at the chance to create works for Pyramid Valley wines where organics and the plants surrounding the vines are so vital."
Her understanding deepened during a visit to our Waikari vineyard, where Jo parked her caravan on the property and spent unhurried time walking the vineyard, sketching, and learning from winemaker Huw Kinch. "It was a revelation to learn which plants had been chosen for this role and why. I love the deeper back story to this enterprise."
The experience has since influenced her broader artistic direction. "This has inspired me and now I wish to paint more of these unsung heroes of the plant world, the 'weeds' which have a beauty all their own. In times past their benefits were well known and honoured."
The Grasses Study itself exemplifies this philosophy. "I enjoyed painting a study of grass heads for use in the Pyramid Valley 'Pastures' Collection work - so fine, delicate and varied. Another subject to be looked at in more detail," Jo notes. These seemingly simple plants, often dismissed as mere weeds, reveal intricate beauty under her careful observation.
For Jo, the collaboration represents something larger than individual artworks. "It has been special to be able to portray the plants that are so important and such a part of the ethos of Pyramid Valley and a thrill to see these paintings used on labels for the wine bottles. I love seeing the efforts of my work out there in the public domain and appreciated by a new audience. Fine wine and art seem to go hand in hand."
Jo's Grasses Study beautifully captures what we know to be true and practice daily at Pyramid Valley - that these grasses are essential partners in our vineyard ecosystem, and its health and character. Her watercolour gives them the artistic recognition they deserve.
Natalie Grace, Brand & Marketing Manager
Pyramid Valley, Smith & Sheth, Lowburn Ferry
Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates
October 2025 marks the release of the 2023 Botanicals Collection wines – the Field of Fire Chardonnay, Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay, Angel Flower Pinot Noir and Earth Smoke Pinot Noir from our Waikari Estate and the Snake’s Tongue Pinot Noir from our Low Burn Estate in Central Otago. To view the release e-book with more information on the season, vineyards and wines, click here. For current availability, click here.