19 Crimes is one of the latest brands of Australian wine to hit our bars, shops and restaurants, and as well as being a great drink, it also comes with a terrific story.
Named after the number of crimes for which British convicts could be transported to Australia, including the misdemeanours of impersonating an Egyptian, clandestine marriage and stealing fish from a pond, 19 Crimes was established in 2012 and is part of Treasury Wine Estates, one of the world’s leading wine companies, which boasts famous New World wineries like Beringer, Penfolds and Wolf Blass.
19 Crimes comes in matte black bottles with a sepia old-style wanted poster label. Using actual criminals who received punishment by transportation, 19 Crimes brings you face-to-face with a host of famous convicts; men and women who entered the annals of Australian folklore and became the first settlers and helped build the new nation.
Relive the deeds of men like John Boyle O’Reilly who was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Imprisoned in Western Australia he escaped to America where he became a prominent spokesman for the Irish community and culture, through his editorship of the Boston newspaper The Pilot, his prolific writing, and his lecture tours.
The stories are told in augmented reality via the 19 Crimes Living Wine Labels app, which can be downloaded free via the link on their website. Interesting, innovative and memorable, 19 Crimes takes branding in a whole new direction – but what about the wines? Well here’s a selection of 19 Crimes wines crafted by winemaker Tony Robinson that are available right now throughout the region.
The Wines
The 19 Crimes wines have the same traits as many of the 162,000 men and women banished to Australia from the late 1700s to the late 1800s, being defiant by nature and bold in character.
19 Crimes Shiraz
The Shiraz definitely lives up to that billing with intense vanilla aromatics that are balanced with ripe raspberry and plum fruits. Bright-red to crimson hues, the wine is full and round on the palate with a subtle sweetness giving a rich and round mouth feel.
The vanilla aromatics carry through on the palate and compliment subtle flavours of raspberries, dark plums, and chocolate. The palate is filled with red berry fruit and the plush tannins provide a lingering finish. Serve with rare roast beef, meats with a pepper sauce or rich aged cheeses.
19 Crimes Red Blend
With bright red to crimson hues the Red Blend offers quite intense vanilla aromas balanced with riper red to dark berry fruits. The vanilla carries through to the palate and feeds in smoothly to the subtle flavours of chocolate and spice.
Full and round and with a distinct sweetness that gives a rich and round mouthfeel and a soft, fruity and fresh finish. Enjoy as a social drink, where its approachability is outstanding, or pair with beef and rich sauce dishes.
19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon
The Cabernet Sauvignon is equally bold with intense lifted vanilla aromatics balanced with red currants, violets and mulberry fruits. Firm and full on the palate, it has a subtle sweetness giving a rich mouthfeel.
The vanilla aromatics carry through on the palate and complement subtle flavours of red currants, dark cherries and chocolate. The palate is filled with dark berry fruit and the soft tannins provide a lingering finish. A bright red with crimson hues, and perfect when paired with a good Australian steak.
19 Crimes 19crimes.com
Paniaga paniaga.com
Exquisite Taste March – May 2019
