Client	Big Rock Wines
Client description	Boutique winemaker
Format(s)	Wine labels (front only pictured)
Audience	Local tourists, customer mailing list
Our tasks	Marketing strategy, label concepts, illustration, copywriting, production

Project summary

Not every winemaker begins with 100-year-old vines and generations of experience. We turned this to the advantage of Big Rock Wines.

Instead of focusing on the winegrower's heritage, name or the wine varietal, each Big Rock Wines vintage takes its name from a key event from that vintage's year.

On the front label, the name and illustration renders the event. A story on the back label explains the circumstances further.

The range forms something of a family album—a colourful chronology recollecting the vines’ maturing over time.

Labels are designed to stand out on the shelf (aside other "normal" looking winemakers). They combine humour, honesty, rich colour and storytelling to create a charming keepsake for gift buying tourists.

Copywriting (on back labels)

Crows’ Reserve

Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

In a country cursed by extreme weather conditions, this year’s cruel drought has paradoxically created ideal growing conditions for Big Rock Wines.

The result has been grapes of tantalising quality—a sweet gift our local crow population found too delicious to ignore. The murder dined on 90% of the vineyard before harvest could commence.

We’re honoured by Mother Nature’s enthusiastic—if somewhat destructive—endorsement. And we’re grateful that Her bird life saved the best of the crop for human consumption.

Crows’ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. For true lovers of wine. Feathered or otherwise.

Empty Nest

Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

The gobbling of last year’s grapes by local crows forced us to take defensive measures—protective netting over the entire vineyard.

As a result, 2004 has been a bittersweet year at Big Rock Wines.

Our human residents were rewarded by a plentiful harvest, creating this light and sweet tasting red.

But the bird life fared poorly. With their major food source now out of reach, these feathery opportunists have had to move elsewhere for a free feed.

If only they could have taken a few bottles with them.

Empty Nest Cabernet Sauvignon. Don’t head home without one.

Groundwork

Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Those who think winemaking isn’t dirty work never visited Big Rock Wines this year.

We’ve been busy laying down many foundations for the future: a dedicated cellar, guest accommodation and most excitingly, another smooth, sweet and light tasting red from the little vine with the big name.

We love making improvements. And whether it takes another two weeks or many, many years, we’ll always look forward to delivering more of the same.

Groundwork Cabernet Sauvignon. Grab a few bottles and get your hands dirty.

Cabby Hole

Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Big Rock Wines now has a big hole—a Cabby Hole—our fantastic new cellar stacked with over four years’ worth of Big Rock Cabernet Sauvignon.

It’s a dark, cool and inviting zone, ideally suited for the storage and maturation of our wines, but even finer to retire to with friends for a glass or two of Big Rock’s smooth, sweet and light tasting red.

And there’s even more exciting developments planned for the future. One might say things are really looking up.

Cabby Hole Cabernet Sauvignon. An underground society you should definitely join.