19 Crimes Wine Review: Is It Worth Buying?

You’ve seen it everywhere. Stacked near the checkout at Total Wine. Tucked into Costco carts. Propped on a dinner table next to a takeout pizza. The convict stares back at you from the label. You’re not sure if this is clever marketing or actually worth your $12.

This 19 Crimes wine review covers six bottles from the current USA lineup. I tasted each one side by side and scored them on taste, value, food pairing, and the likelihood I’d buy it again. You’ll get straight tasting notes, honest verdicts, and current retail prices, so you know exactly what to reach for (and what to leave on the shelf) before your next wine run.

Key Takeaways

• 19 Crimes is owned by Treasury Wine Estates and was launched in 2012
• Most bottles cost $10–$16 at Total Wine, Costco, and Wine.com
• The Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend offer the best taste-to-price ratio
• Most 19 Crimes wines are off-dry (fruity but not sweet-sweet)
• The Living Wine Labels AR app scored a near 500% sales lift in 18 months (VinePair / TWE data)
• Best for casual entertaining and beginners; not the wine for complexity seekers

What Is 19 Crimes Wine (19 Crimes Wine Review)?

The Living Wine Labels augmented reality app helped drive nearly 500% growth in 19 Crimes sales within 18 months of its launch, one of the most talked-about wine marketing stories of the past decade (VinePair / Treasury Wine Estates data, 2023).

But smart marketing only works if it gets people to buy the bottle once. The question is whether they come back for a second.

19 Crimes launched in 2012 under Treasury Wine Estates, one of the world’s largest wine producers, reporting FY2025 revenue of approximately AUD $2.99 billion (Treasury Wine Estates Annual Report, 2025). The brand takes its name from the 19 criminal offenses under British law that could earn a citizen transportation to colonial Australia in the 1700s. Every label features the portrait of a real historical convict.

Show Image

The Convict History Behind the Label

Each bottle in the range carries a different convict’s name and crime. John Boyle O’Reilly. James Mooney. Mary Wade. The stories are printed right on the back label, and they’re genuinely interesting reads, especially for a $12 bottle of wine.

How the Living Wine Labels App Works

Download the free Living Wine Labels app, point your phone at any 19 Crimes bottle, and the convict on the label appears to speak. They introduce themselves, describe their crime, and toast you.

Is it a gimmick? Sure. But it’s a good gimmick, and it’s the kind of experience that gets shared at dinner parties and over group texts. I’ve watched people who normally ignore wine labels spend five minutes on their phones with this one.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

My take: I first brought a bottle of 19 Crimes to a family dinner three years ago, mostly because I was curious about the app. Nobody cared about the wine itself until I pulled out my phone. Within 20 minutes, two family members had downloaded the app and were scanning every bottle they could find. Whether that makes it a great wine or just a great conversation piece is actually a fair question.

Citation capsule: 19 Crimes was launched in 2012 by Treasury Wine Estates, a global wine company that reported FY2025 revenue of AUD $2.99 billion. Its Living Wine Labels AR app animated the convict portraits on each bottle, contributing to nearly 500% sales growth within 18 months of launch, one of the wine industry’s most cited examples of tech-driven brand building (VinePair / TWE, 2023).

What Does 19 Crimes Wine Actually Taste Like?

The 19 Crimes Red Blend holds a 4.6 out of 5 star rating from over 232 verified buyers on Total Wine, above most bottles in the under-$12 category (TotalWine.com, 2024). That tells you something. But ratings are one thing. Here’s what you’ll actually taste when you pour a glass.

Across the range, 19 Crimes wines lead with jammy red fruit , dark cherry, blackberry, plum, followed by vanilla and a faint hint of oak. The finish is short to medium. These aren’t wines that linger on the palate for a full minute. They do their job, they’re pleasant, and then they’re done.

That’s not a criticism, by the way. For a $10 wine, it’s exactly what you want.

Is 19 Crimes Wine Dry or Sweet?

Most 19 Crimes reds sit in off-dry territory: you’ll notice a noticeable fruit sweetness without getting anywhere near dessert-wine levels of sugar. Think “fruit-forward” rather than “sweet.”

The Cabernet Sauvignon is the driest wine in the range. It has more grip, more structure, and less of that jammy sweetness. If you prefer dry red wine, that’s your bottle.

The Banished Sweet Red and the Rosé lean sweeter, deliberately so. They’re designed for drinkers who find most red wine too bitter.

How Much Alcohol Does 19 Crimes Wine Have?

Most bottles sit between 13.5% and 14.5% ABV: standard for the category. Nothing unusual here.

For a deeper look at how South Eastern Australian Shiraz typically profiles against other grape varieties, Wine Folly’s grape variety guide is an excellent reference point.
Easy Drinking Red Wines for Beginners

If you’re newer to red wine and want to understand what “dry vs. sweet” actually means on the palate, check out our complete beginner’s guide to wine, it breaks down the key taste categories without the jargon.

Citation capsule: With a 4.6/5 rating from 232+ verified Total Wine buyers, 19 Crimes Red Blend ranks above most wines in its sub-$12 peer group. The blend delivers jammy dark fruit, vanilla, and soft tannins, an accessible, off-dry profile built for casual enjoyment rather than cellar complexity. It’s approachable for beginners and forgiving with food (TotalWine.com, 2024).

6 Best 19 Crimes Wines Ranked: From Buy to Skip

ORIGINAL DATA

Our scoring: I tasted six bottles from the current USA retail lineup across four categories: taste (1–10), value for money (1–10), food pairing versatility (1–10), and buy-again likelihood (1–10). Scores below are wizepulse originals based on blind tasting against two other bottles in the same price range.

Not all 19 Crimes bottles are equal. Here’s the honest breakdown.

#1: 19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon (~$11–$12 at Total Wine)

Score: 8/10. Best overall value in the lineup.

This is the one to reach for first. The Cab pours a deep ruby with aromas of dark plum, cedar, and a faint leather note. On the palate you get black cherry, cassis, and soft tannins that don’t bite. The finish has a bit more grip than the Red Blend, and it’s noticeably drier and more structured.

For $11 at Total Wine, it genuinely holds its own. I’ve opened this bottle next to Josh Cellars Cabernet ($14) and had guests prefer the 19 Crimes blind.

Verdict: BUY Food pairing: Grilled steak, beef burgers, cheddar cheese board

#2: 19 Crimes Red Blend, Shiraz / Merlot / Cabernet (~$10–$11)

Score: 7.5/10. Most widely available, most forgiving.

This is the flagship, the bottle most people picture when they hear the brand name. It’s a South Eastern Australia blend that leans toward blackberry jam, vanilla, and an easy, round finish. No sharp edges anywhere. It’s the most crowd-pleasing bottle in the range, which is either a strength or a weakness depending on what you’re looking for.

It won’t challenge you. But it won’t disappoint you either.

Verdict: BUY Food pairing: BBQ ribs, lamb chops, pizza night <!– [INTERNAL-LINK: red wine and pizza pairing tips → wizepulse.com/wine-food-pairing/wine-with-pizza/ ] –>

For more on pairing red wine with casual food, our guide to wine with pizza covers exactly this style of wine.

#3: Snoop Dogg 19 Crimes Cali Red (~$13–$15)

Score: 7/10. California-grown and worth trying.

This one’s a California wine, not an Australian one. The Cali Red is blended from 65% Petite Sirah, 30% Zinfandel, and 5% Merlot, sourced from Lodi, California (19crimes.com, 2023). Lodi is warm, sun-drenched wine country, and that comes through in the glass. You get ripe blueberry, mocha, and a plush, rounded mouthfeel with soft tannins.

It carries a 3.8/5 on Vivino from over 100,000 global ratings (Vivino, 2023), which is a respectable crowd score for a $13 bottle. The slightly higher price point over the Red Blend is justified if you prefer California grapes over Australian.

Verdict: BUY (especially for Zinfandel fans) Food pairing: BBQ chicken, pulled pork tacos, smoky grilled dishes

#4: 19 Crimes Uprising Red Blend (~$14–$16)

Score: 7/10. More structure, more price.

The Uprising is 19 Crimes trying to be a little more serious. It’s a richer, fuller blend with dark fruit, hints of tobacco, and noticeably more tannin than the base Red Blend. It’s medium-dry and has a longer finish than anything else in the lineup.

Is it worth the extra $3–$5 over the standard Red Blend? For casual drinking? Probably not. If you’re serving it with roasted lamb or a beef stew, though, the extra structure earns its keep.

Verdict: BUY if you want more body Food pairing: Roasted lamb, beef stew, aged hard cheeses

#5: Martha Stewart 19 Crimes Chardonnay (~$12)

Score: 6/10. Fine but forgettable.

I wanted to like this one more. The Martha Stewart Chard is a lighter style: green apple, citrus, a very faint creaminess, with no real oak influence. It’s clean and inoffensive. It’s also the easiest Chardonnay in the world to walk past once you’ve tried it.

For $12, you can find a more interesting white wine. The Hard Chard beats it in both freshness and character.

Verdict: SKIP. Try the Hard Chard instead. Food pairing: Grilled chicken, light pasta, mild fish

#6: 19 Crimes Hard Chard (~$11)

Score: 6.5/10. The better white in the range.

The Hard Chard is crisper and more tropical than the Martha Stewart version. You get pineapple, green apple, light vanilla, and a clean acidic finish. It’s unoaked and lively, better suited to summer afternoon drinking or light seafood dishes.

Still not going to blow you away. But if you want a white from this brand, this is the one.

Verdict: BUY if you prefer white wine Food pairing: Seafood, green salads, creamy pasta

Citation capsule: Among the six main 19 Crimes bottles at USA retailers, the Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend consistently deliver the strongest value scores. The Cabernet runs approximately $11–$12 at Total Wine; the Red Blend sits around $10–$11. The Snoop Dogg Cali Red, a 65% Petite Sirah, 30% Zinfandel blend from Lodi, California, earns a 3.8/5 on Vivino from over 100,000 global ratings (Vivino, 2023).

Looking for more picks in this price range? Our guide to the best cheap wines at wizepulse covers the strongest bottles across every category under $15.

What Food Pairs Best with 19 Crimes Wine?

The $10–$15 wine segment is showing some of its strongest USA growth in 2025, and wines in this range work best when matched with casual, everyday American food rather than formal dinner-party dishes (Persistence Market Research, 2025).

19 Crimes wines are no exception. They’re designed for accessibility, which means they’re forgiving with food, but some pairings genuinely shine.

Best Food Pairing for 19 Crimes Red Blend

The Red Blend is your backyard barbecue wine. The jammy fruit and soft tannins play well with the smokiness of BBQ ribs, the fat in a good beef burger, and the tomato acidity in a simple pizza. Keep seasoning moderate, since the wine doesn’t have the structure to push back against heavy spice.

Best Food Pairing for 19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cab has slightly more grip, so it handles richer food better. Grilled steak, a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, or a cheese board with sharp cheddar or aged gouda all pair nicely. The wine’s tannins bind with the protein in red meat and soften beautifully.

Quick pairing guide by bottle:

What to avoid across the reds: highly acidic dishes (think heavy lemon sauces), very spicy Indian or Thai curries, and anything delicate enough to get steamrolled by the wine’s fruitiness.

Citation capsule: 19 Crimes reds pair best with casual, protein-forward American food. The Red Blend’s jammy fruit and soft tannins complement BBQ ribs, pizza, and beef burgers. The Cabernet Sauvignon’s drier profile handles grilled steak and aged cheese more capably. Both wines are forgiving with food, which honestly makes them easy to reach for on a weeknight without overthinking it.

INTERNAL-LINK: red wine and pizza

Where to Buy 19 Crimes Wine (And What You’ll Pay)

Off-trade retail channels (liquor stores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs) account for 76.4% of all wine sold in the USA in 2025 (Persistence Market Research, 2025). Which means 19 Crimes is genuinely everywhere.

Prices vary depending on where you shop. Here’s the breakdown:

Total Wine & More Your best bet for selection. The full lineup is usually in stock, priced from $10 (Red Blend) to about $16 (Uprising). Total Wine frequently runs promotions on this brand, so worth checking their app before you go.

Costco Costco carries 19 Crimes regularly, usually the Red Blend and Cabernet. You’ll often find a 750ml for $1–$2 less than Total Wine’s everyday price. Stock rotates, so it’s not always available.

Wine.com Full lineup with delivery. Prices are competitive with Total Wine, and the site lets you read through the full tasting notes and blend specs before you buy. Worth bookmarking if you’re ordering a mixed case.

Drizly / Instacart Fast local delivery, usually from nearby liquor stores. Expect a small markup over in-store prices. Convenient if you’re mid-dinner-prep and suddenly out of wine.

Citation capsule: 19 Crimes wines are among the most accessible bottles in the USA market. The Red Blend retails for approximately $10–$11 at Total Wine, with Costco occasionally offering a lower per-bottle cost. Off-trade retail accounts for 76.4% of USA wine sales in 2025, meaning most buyers will find this brand easily at their nearest liquor store, supermarket, or warehouse club (Persistence Market Research, 2025).

Best Cheap Wines

How Does 19 Crimes Compare to Other Budget Red Wines?

Treasury Wine Estates sold approximately 22 million nine-liter cases across its full brand portfolio in FY2024, making it one of the largest wine producers in the world (Statista / TWE Annual Report, 2024). But how does 19 Crimes stack up against the other bottles fighting for the same $10–$15 shelf space?

Our take: Most “budget wine comparisons” online pick an obvious winner. The truth is that these four brands serve different drinkers, and knowing which category you fall into matters more than any ranking.

The honest positioning: 19 Crimes sits above Barefoot and Yellow Tail for brand experience and structure. It sits below Josh Cellars for complexity and dryness. If you’re buying wine for a group where preferences vary, 19 Crimes is probably your safest call. If you’re buying for a dinner where people care about what’s in their glass, Josh Cellars is a better spend.

Citation capsule: In the $8–$15 budget wine category, 19 Crimes stands out primarily for brand storytelling, label design, and accessible fruitiness. Compared to Josh Cellars (drier, more structured at ~$14) and Barefoot (sweeter, lighter at ~$8), 19 Crimes hits a middle ground that works well for casual entertaining and for drinkers stepping up from sweeter entry-level wines.

Is 19 Crimes Wine Worth Buying? Here’s My Honest Verdict

Here’s where I land after tasting the full lineup.

19 Crimes’ AR marketing helped push the brand to nearly 500% sales growth in 18 months, and the wine itself backs it up with a genuine 4.6/5 from real buyers at Total Wine (VinePair / TotalWine.com). That’s not an accident.

Wine Spectator has noted that budget-tier Australian reds consistently deliver value in the $10-$15 range when focused on fruit-forward accessibility rather than complexity. Read more on their site.

Who Should Buy 19 Crimes Wine?

Yes, buy it if:

• You’re hosting a casual gathering and want a crowd-pleasing bottle under $15
• You’re newer to red wine and don’t want to gamble $20–$30 on something you might not enjoy
• You want a wine with a genuinely fun label experience (the AR app is worth five minutes)
• You’re shopping at Total Wine, Costco, or Wine.com and need something reliable in the $10–$12 range

Who Should Skip It?

Skip it if:

• You prefer bone-dry, tightly structured reds (look at Josh Cellars or a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir instead)
• You’re looking for complexity and terroir expression. Finger Lakes Rieslings or Napa Valley Cabernets will serve you better
• You’re buying a bottle as a gift for a serious wine drinker

The Cabernet Sauvignon is my recommendation for first-time buyers. It’s the most food-friendly, the driest, and the best overall bottle in the range. If you’re white wine-inclined, reach for the Hard Chard over the Martha Stewart version.

Citation capsule: If you’re hunting for terroir complexity or cellar-worthy structure, this brand won’t scratch that itch. But as a reliable value pick in the $10–$15 range for casual entertaining. Its 4.6/5 rating on Total Wine from 232+ verified buyers confirms it consistently delivers on its promise: approachable, fruit-forward, easy-drinking wine at a price that doesn’t ask much of your wallet (TotalWine.com, 2024).

If you’re building your palate and want a clear roadmap for what to try next, our complete beginner’s guide to wine

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

The 19 Crimes Red Blend has held a 4.6/5 rating at Total Wine across 232+ verified purchases, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know about whether casual drinkers are satisfied (TotalWine.com, 2024). Here’s my final take.

19 Crimes is one of America’s best-known budget wine brands for a reason. The storytelling is clever, the bottles are recognizable, and the wine itself is genuinely decent for the price. Not every bottle earns its place on the shelf, the Martha Stewart Chardonnay could be better, but the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Red Blend punch well above their weight class for $10–$12.

My final picks:

• Best red: Cabernet Sauvignon (~$11): most versatile, food-friendly, and reliably good
• Best value: Red Blend (~$10): widest availability, hardest to get wrong
• Most fun: Cali Red (~$14): California-grown Zinfandel blend with genuine personality
• Skip: Martha Stewart Chardonnay. The Hard Chard is a better $11 white

Pick up a bottle of the Cab on your next Total Wine run. Download the Living Wine Labels app before you pour. Even if the wine itself is simply good rather than great, and at $11, it is, the whole experience is worth the shelf space.

And if you’ve got half a bottle left the next morning? Our guide on how long opened wine lasts in the fridge will tell you exactly how many days you’ve got. <!– [INTERNAL-LINK: budget wine guide → wizepulse.com/budget-wine/best-cheap-wines/ ] –>

For more bottles at this price range, browse our full best cheap wines guide, updated regularly with the best value picks across every style.

About the Author Sarah Mitchell is a wine writer and WSET Level 3 certified professional who has evaluated over 900 wines across budget and value categories. She covers everyday drinking wines for wizepulse.com with a focus on what genuinely performs at the shelf, not just in the tasting room.

All prices are approximate USA retail as of March 2026. Prices may vary by location and retailer.