S.C. Pannell’s other ranges feature more subdued labels, where
splashes of colour and words take on more meaning. ‘There’s a
range of wines we call ‘place’ and they’re a lot simpler,’ Tom says of
the labels that feature a charcoal background and a logo coloured to
represent the wine inside. ‘The copy becomes very important; there’s
power in words and fonts, which takes a lot of time to get right. The
copy on these wines always starts with a simple statement: ‘The truly
wondrous thing about wine is that it speaks of where it comes from’.
After that, a story begins as to why it comes from a certain place’.
Another range, focused on blending, features coloured labels and
a similarly subdued logo, with the copy hinting at more of Stephen
and Tom’s inspirations. ‘It talks about what we think the wine should
be drunk with, food-wise, and also what should be listened to,’ Tom
explains. ‘Steve and I do talk about wine and business, obviously, but
most of the time we’re talking about books, music and cooking; three
things that are really important to us.’
Being a relative pup, at least compared to some of McLaren Vale’s
old-wine dynasties, you could forgive S.C. Pannell for resorting to
zaniness or marketing gimmicks on its labels. Bottle shops are filled
with younger brands trying to stand out on the shelf among more
established rivals, overcompensating for their lack of history. So, it’s
perhaps curious that S.C. Pannell has barely changed its logo or label
design principles since the first release in 2006.Not so curious, though, when you consider Stephen’s pedigree,
respect within the industry and a mantlepiece filled with prestigious
awards. It’s this track record that eliminates any concerns about
what other labels are putting on the shelves. ‘We don’t think about
what other people are doing,’ Tom says. ‘That’s a cliché, but if you
look at who Steve is: that he’s the son of Bill Pannell, that as a seven-
year-old boy he helped plant Moss Wood in Margaret River with his
father, his family has owned estates in Burgundy – he’s got more
accolades than nearly any other winemaker in Australia.
We talk about not caring what others are doing because people are
looking at us, rather than us looking at them, and while it might sound
arrogant to say that, it’s true.’Indeed, as the Halliday Wine Companion notes, ‘The future for
Pannell is limitless, the icon status of the label already established.’
The only question that remains is where that little icon, flailing arms
and all, is going to turn up next?Above: From concept to completion. The artwork on the bottle is striking, colourful and distinct.