Revered André Tchelistcheff was not lying when he said, ‘God made Cabernet, but the Devil made Pinot.’
The most delicate and expressive of the reds is also the moodiest — ripening, sulking and withering on the vine at lightning pace, often with little warning. It’s a varietal that demands absolute attention, rewarding precision while punishing hesitation. Pinot Noir can test patience, fray nerves, damage egos and king-hit the spirit of even the most seasoned winemaker. It is a grape that asks for everything and promises nothing.
As drinks design specialists, when we meet a Pinot producer, we take our hats off and give a minute’s silence. We know we are standing before a person of rare grit, resilience and tenacity — someone who has willingly signed up for one of winemaking’s most unpredictable and unforgiving pursuits. To make Pinot well requires instinct, obsession and an unwavering belief that the struggle is worth it.
Enter Jack ‘The Ripper’ Tomich. A boundary-pushing, third-generation winemaker from the Onkaparinga Valley, Jack has veered away from his family’s traditional style of winemaking to carve out his own path with a trailblazing personal project.
Aptly named Devil Made Pinot, Jack set out to create a disruptor in a category often defined by restraint and convention. We were happy to oblige — building a suite of distinctive brand assets designed to own the shelf and inject maximum personality, character and fun across the range.
We are devilishly happy with the result!