19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red 2019

The Story

The 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red 2019 is a blend of mostly Petite Sirah and then Zinfandel sourced from vineyards in California. 19 Crimes are one of Treasury Wine Estates family of almost 50 wine brands. They seem to concentrate on Australian Brands but have a very solid American portfolio.

The name 19 Crimes refers to the list of offenses that could get English crooks and thieves sent to the Australian penal colony. The 19 Crimes website focuses on the stories of the folks who populated Australia, not by choice in the 1800s and not a great deal on the nuts and bolts of their wines.

I think Snoops Red blend is the only 19 Crimes wine sourced from California grapes, I tried to verify that on the 19 Crimes website, but even that was too technical for what they were trying to achieve.

In the past few years, Petite Sirah has been the “secret weapon” used in affordable Red blends. It went from a seldom-used grape to a frequent blending grape (especially for ZInfandel). I have seen it added to Bordeaux Blends and Rhone blends. It is a grape that started in France but never caught on and is becoming a staple of California blends.

19 Crimes line of wines have a history of being solid bang-for-the-buck wines and they are widely available. But that is not the reason I bought this wine and we are talking about it today. This is Snoop Dogg’s wine! Forget Gin and juice, we are drinking Cali.

The label is pretty cool, actually better than I expected, and like I have always maintained, you can buy wine by the label. I like Petite Sirah and Zinfandel just fine, but it could have been any combination of grapes and I still would have dropped a bottle into my shopping cart. It’s Snoop Dogg wine, I had to give it try. The alcohol content is 14.1%.

19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red Tasting Notes

The color is purple which is one shade away from being opaque. The nose is subtle (for a big Red wine) there are some juicy red berries, licorice, a shot of spice, a little vanilla. The 19 Crimes website mention some oak seasoning but with it being a 2019 vintage there isn’t much time for extensive oak aging.

This is a smooth, flavorful Red blend, balanced, not over-the-top. It starts with jammy blackberry, raspberry, and a strong but balanced slap of spice. The mid-palate adds blueberry (slightly sweet), vanilla, and tart cranberry. This is not a complicated, layered Red blend, but it is a tasty Red blend. The tannins are sweet and smooth, the acidity lets the flavors unfold, but does not bite.

The Summary

• The 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red 2019 is a good tasting, easy to drink Red blend.
• The Petite Sirah grapes and the Zinfandel grapes used really compliment each other. The interplay between these 2 grapes is worth the price of the bottle, I found it for $10.99 on sale.
• I liked this wine, it drinks well and is nicely priced. I know Post Malone has a twenty dollars Rose’ (I have not tried it yet) and that is all well and good, but for me, I am riding with Snoop Dogg Cali Red. It is a good wine for everyday folks.

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