19 Crimes wine takes its name from a list of 19 crimes drawn up to address the problem of overrun jails in 18th century England. Upon conviction, British rogues guilty of those crimes were sentenced to Australia – ‘punishment by transportation’ – rather than death. This premium Australian wine celebrates the pioneering spirit of these ‘bad seeds’ and the wine they inspired borne out of a second chance. 19 Crimes wine is created by one of Australia’s most prestigious and heritage rich wineries. Winemaker for 19 Crimes, Paul Dahlenburg, takes his inspiration from traditional techniques where wine was made without electricity, just careful tendering and a simple touch. Big, bold reds come out this part of Victoria. Just like the spirit of our pioneers, many of whom were convicts – 19 Crimes celebrates those men and makes them legends (e.g., pictured, right: John Boyle O’Reilly, the face of 19 Crimes Shiraz Durif blend). Made exclusively for Canada, 19 Crimes first debuted in 2011 bearing the mug shots and true stories of convicts. The wine is now distributed in the US and Australia.
