El Desperado is an experimental range of wines that naturally reflect each vintage and the beguiling land of which they were conceived. These wines are made in the vineyard, handcrafted with minimal intervention using naturally occurring wild yeasts indigenous to each single vineyard allowing the brilliance of the fruit to shine through. Unique wines grown of alternative varieties rescued from the scourge of commercial blending.
Tom's first ever vintage of El Desperado was 2011 and will always be known in Australian wine history as the vintage from hell, as many vineyards succumb to the wet summer. At the Pawn, he sacrificed making his full range of wines that year to create a brand-new style of wines. A Pawn, desperate to stay in the game, willing to sacrifice everything and create something new. Wines lower in alcohol, brighter in fruit expression, with minimal human intervention.
Resolute in delivering a new memorable packaging statement, The Pawn Wine Co engaged Chad Holman to elevate the character and personality of each wine while remaining an easily recognisable evolutionary shift from the existing packaging.
Luscious varietal collages inspired by the bright fruit characteristics of each wine are further distinguished by individual hot foil motifs and blind embossed pattern textures, expanding further upon the original labels. Colourful termographic inks bloom when these wines are chilled to their ideal drinking temperature.