From penal colony to global wine brand
In the 18th and 19th centuries, one of 19 defined offenses was enough in Great Britain to be deported to Australia rather than executed — a sentence that tore thousands from their homes and cast them to the edge of the world. This very rupture forms the core of 19 Crimes: Treasury Wine Estates founded the brand in Australia in 2012 and consistently built it on the true stories of those exiles who turned punishment into pioneering spirit. The people on the labels are not fictional characters — they are documented historical figures whose mugshots and biographies can be found directly on the bottles. What began as an Australian wine label became a globally distributed brand that, according to Treasury Wine Estates, sold over five million cases annually by 2021.
The growth was no accident: in 2020, 19 Crimes collaborated with Snoop Dogg for the US market, and the partnership developed into one of the most successful wine collaborations in the industry. Today, the brand sits alongside Penfolds and Beringer in the portfolio of Treasury Wine Estates, one of the world's largest publicly traded wine corporations, based in Melbourne.
Storytellers with augmented reality in the cellar
The craft at 19 Crimes follows a clear idea: broad fruit, round tannins, distinct oak notes — wines that appeal immediately without requiring prior knowledge. The grapes come from southeastern Australia, a vast growing region that includes areas like McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and the Limestone Coast. This diversity allows the winery to blend batches specifically and maintain a consistent style across vintages. American oak plays a deliberate role in aging: it provides the characteristic notes of vanilla and sweet spice that give the wines their recognizable profile.
What further separates 19 Crimes from conventional wine operations is the use of augmented reality. The Living Wine Labels app — available for iOS and Android — lets the historical figures on the labels literally speak: point the camera at the bottle, and the convict tells their story themselves. This is not a gimmick on the side, but a central brand principle: Wine as a medium for history.
Red wine strength meets pop culture — the range at a glance
The core range revolves around red grape varieties from South Australia. The Cabernet Sauvignon shows dark berry fruit, cassis, and a velvety tannin structure — classic South Australian, accessible without being flat. The Red Blend combines several varieties into a full-bodied, fruit-forward blend with noticeable oak presence. The Banished is another red blend that is aimed at a broad audience with its round body and slightly sweet finish. The Uprising Non-Vintage surprises with a different approach: the cuvée is aged for 30 days in rum barrels — resulting in a warmer, spicier character with aromas of dark fruit and a hint of molasses. In addition, there are collaboration bottles like the Snoop Cali Red, a blend of Petite Sirah and Zinfandel for the American market, which consciously makes the bridge between wine culture and pop culture visible. Serving temperature for all red wines: 16–18 °C, with grilled meat, spicy burgers, or strong hard cheese.
