It’s Ground Hog day and Punxsutawney Phil says there’s 6 more weeks of winter to come. I say good! It’s been too warm here in NE Georgia and I some good snow days. I want to be able to wear my winter clothes, I have some with the price tags still attached because it just hasn’t been that cold. I’m feeling gypped of winter, again.

At least there’s wine, and I’ve found a new favorite wine line, 19 Crimes, and they’re affordable and becoming more widely available.
My first introduction to the 19 Crimes line was the 2015 Cabernet. Intrigued by the label, I had to grab a couple of bottles.

Blackberry and vanilla aromas. Lush black fruits and plum roll around the palate. Medium to firm tannins with a long cassis finish.
I’ve seen this priced from $8.99-$10.99. Can be found at Costco now too.

We all know Australia was at one time a Penal Colony under British rule. What I didn’t know , or possibly forgot after some high school test, was there were 19 crimes in 1783 punishable by “transportation” where a criminal was sentenced to live in Australia, versus death.
Those that survived the voyage at sea found themselves in a new frontier where they began to form a new country and a new life. The 19 Crimes wines celebrate the rules they broke and the new born culture.

Below are the 19 crimes punishable by “transportation”.
1.) Grand Larceny. Theft above the value of one shilling.
2.) Petty Larceny. Thefts under the value one shilling.
3.) Buying or receiving stolen goods, jewels and plate.
4.) Stealing lead, iron or copper or buying or receiving.
5.) Impersonating an Egyptian.
6) Stealing from furnished lodgings.
7.) Setting fire to underwood.
8.) Stealing letters, advancing the Postage and secreting the money.
9.) Assault with intent to rob.
10.) Stealing fish from a pond or river.
11.) Stealing roots, trees or plants or destroying them.
12.) Bigamy.
13.) Assaulting, cutting or burning clothes.
14.) Counterfeiting the copper coin.
15.) Clandestine marriage.
16.) Stealing a shroud from a grave.
17.) Watermen carrying too many passengers on the Thames , if any drowned.
18.) Incorrigible rogues who broke out of prison and persons reprieved from capital punishment.
19.) Embeuling naval stores.

In case you were wondering, all of the inmate photos on the labels are real prisoners. Their stories can be found on the back labels.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be exploring the additional 19 Crimes varietals. I’ll also be waiting for my elusive snow fall.
Cheers!