19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Red: The Ultimate Bottle Guide

Pop quiz: What punishment was considered a viable alternative to death in 18th-century Britain? The answer, weirdly enough, is deportation to Australia. In colonial England, there was a set of 19 crimes that resulted in banishment to Oz, and this set of criminal activities provided the inspiration for 19 Crimes. You've probably seen some of 19 Crimes' wines at the store. Each bottle features the face of an infamous criminal peering out from its dark, moody label.

One of the most prevalent modern-day malefactors to grace the label of a 19 Crimes wine is Calvin Broadus, Jr. — or as most of us know him, Snoop Dogg. Before he became a bestselling artist and entrepreneur in the early 1990s, Snoop was infamous for his run-ins with the law, spending time in prison and causing a scene on the streets of Southern California. Much of Snoop's work centers around these early experiences — and he's maintained a reputation as a charming rascal — but in the years since, he's blossomed into superstardom both as a musician and businessman. One of his latest ventures? A collaboration with 19 Crimes on a blended red wine called Snoop Dogg's Cali Red. Who would've thought that the man who famously raps about sippin' on gin and juice would come out with a line of wines? Read on to learn all about how this delightful and delicious partnership came to be.

Snoop's Cali Red is a blend of petite sirah, zinfandel, and merlot grapes. Petite sirah, which makes up 65% of this blended wine, is known for deep, complex flavors. The juicy taste of dark berries and plum along with cocoa are common in a petite sirah, and it's also known to be one of the most acidic and tannic wine varieties. Red zinfandel (30% of Snoop's Cali Red) is ultra-jammy with a high alcohol content (although this particular bottle has a pretty standard ABV of 14.1%). Red Zins are also known for having a smoky finish, and this quality is definitely perceptible in Snoop's Cali Red. The final 5% of this bottle comes from merlot grapes, which tend to feature flavors similar to those present in the petite sirah — dark fruit with a chocolatey finish.

Many of the basic elements of the three wines that go into Snoop's Cali Red are present in the finished product. It's a well-balanced wine, and flavors like dark cherry, blackberry, vanilla, and tobacco smoke are readily apparent. In spite of its affordable price tag, Snoop Dogg's Cali Red maintains a pretty good ranking (4.5/5) on the Total Wine website, with reviews citing a surprising smoothness and robust flavor for a bottle in this price range. The Cali Red is sweet as far as red wines go, so it may not hit the spot for those who favor drier reds like Bordeaux, Beaujolais, and Chianti.

Drinking red wine is a far cry from sippin' on gin and juice. Whether you're enjoying it on your couch after a long day of work or breaking out a bottle for a dinner party, there are many ways to drink red wine. Red wines are often consumed at room temperature, but given that Snoop's Cali Red is fairly sweet, it may benefit from chilling. Believe it or not, there are best practices for drinking chilled red wine. Experts found that red wines reached their optimal state after being chilled in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour. If chilled isn't your thing, feel free to leave the Cali Red on your countertop or chill in a cellar or a wine fridge or set to your preferred temperature.

One Total Wine reviewer reported great results after using an aerator on Snoop's red blend. Red wine drinkers have long known that the flavor of a wine will change over time as it's exposed to oxygen (this is why holding on to the cork is handy if you're one of the few people who regularly finds themselves with leftover wine). Aerating wine forces the liquid through pressurized oxygen, which helps speed up the oxidation process and leads to a fuller flavor in less time. However you choose to prepare your wine, once it's poured, Snoop Dogg's personal favorite way to enjoy his Cali Red is alongside a juicy steak and some fettuccine.

The release of Snoop Dogg's Cali Red in 2020 was a smashing success, and unsurprisingly, 19 Crimes capitalized on its popularity and quickly released a number of additional Snoop-endorsed wines (all California wines in honor of the Doggfather's home state, of course), including Cali Gold, Cali Blanc, and Cali Rosé. Both Snoop's red blend and his rosé have fairly positive rankings in reviews on sites like Drizly, where the red holds a 4.6/5 score to the rosé's 4.5/5. On the flip side, Mashed ranked Snoop's Cali Red at No. 2 and the Cali Rosé at No. 9 in a ranking of 19 Crimes wines.

Snoop's Cali Rosé consists of 75% zinfandel, 20% grenache, and 5% pinot noir. Rosé wines are much sweeter than reds, and Snoop's Cali Rosé is no exception — the vast majority of reviews for the rosé mention the bottle's sweetness, though some reviewers consider it a strength and others a weakness. Aside from the overall sweetness of the rosé, notes of strawberry, pink grapefruit, and rose petals are present on the palate, accompanied by a slightly acidic finish. This wine is unlikely to appeal to those who prefer deeper-bodied wines, but at $15 per bottle, sweet wine drinkers should give it a shot. If not consumed straight-up, Snoop's Cali Rosé could also make a great addition to a boozy fruit punch, wine-based cocktail, or rosé sangria.

Augmented reality is all over the place these days, but 19 Crimes provides an excellent example of how companies can use futuristic technology to invigorate a brand. The brand embraced AR with open arms, beginning with a custom app in 2017, and continues to do so to this day. As previously mentioned, each bottle of 19 Crimes features a convicted criminal on its label. This alone is a fascinating brand strategy, but 19 Crimes didn't stop there.

The Living Wine Labels app, which is available for download through the app store, allows users to scan the label on any bottle of 19 Crimes wine and learn all about the history of the rule-breaker featured on the label. Stories like that of Snoop Dogg and historical criminals like John Boyle O'Reilly, who wrote and published poetry during the treacherous journey from England to Australia and later escaped to America, come to life when scanned through the app – the portraits on the label appear to move, and each law-breaker (voiced by voice-over artists for the deceased criminals) gives a summary of their own crimes. The use of augmented reality was genius brand storytelling by 19 Crimes, and the bold move seems to have given the winemaker a real boost — 19 Crimes' sales volume grew by 60% and the brand increased in value by 70% in 2017, the year the business introduced AR-compatible labels.

Having experienced the United States' judicial and prison systems firsthand, Snoop Dogg is understandably passionate about prison reform and rehabilitation. The rapper has openly supported causes such as commuting sentences for death row inmates and has taken part in conversations dissecting police brutality with law enforcement officials. Snoop was fortunate in that he was able to succeed at an astronomical level despite his checkered past, but many prisoners with similar charges are not so lucky ... and Snoop wants to change that.

While it doesn't appear that any of the revenue from Snoop Dogg's Cali Red or other wines goes toward prison reform, the spirit of the brand clearly resonates with the artist. Whether by choice or due to the fact that his early life has been widely publicized, Snoop is candid about his early years. In fact, he embraces his past and admires those who have reinvented themselves. What better way to celebrate reinvention and human potential than by partnering with a wine that tells the stories of one-time law-breakers who went on to mold better lives for themselves?