Cali Red: Snoop Dogg to join 19 Crimes Family of Australia

Touted as the brand's first California wine by Treasury Wine Estate (TWE) which owns the winery, the red wine christened as Snoop Cali Red is a unique blend of 65% Petite Syrah (known popularly as Durif in Australia and grown in the US as well), 30% Zinfandel and 5% Merlot and is slated to sell for $12 a bottle.

“I’ve been a fan of this wine and I’m excited to unveil my ‘Snoop Cali Red’ this summer and share the experience with all my fans,” Snoop Dogg said. “It’s one of the most successful brands in the market, so I’m more than eager to bring this collaboration to the world!”

World of crime and passion

For nearly three decades, Calvin Brodus- known as Snoop Dogg, has entertained fans throughout the globe including India. Initially a hard-edged rapper with ties to gangsters earned him a long criminal record that included some prison time. He has been daring and bold throughout his career, even collaborating with lifestyle celebrity and fellow ex-con Martha Stewart.

TWE marketing vice president of the Americas, John Wardley says, “Snoop Dogg, an entertainment and California icon, is the perfect partner for 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red. Snoop embodies the spirit of 19 Crimes – rule breaking, culture creating and overcoming adversity. We are truly excited to partner with Snoop and welcome him to the 19 Crimes family.”

Corks of Crime

Although Australian wines have generally discarded the use of corks and switched to screwcaps, the winery still uses corks. In fact, there are 19 corks, one for each for the 19 crimes a person in UK (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) could be then sentenced to ‘Punishment by Transportation’. Each cork has a name of the crime on the side and is used randomly on each bottle-one can thus collect a set of all 19. Hopefully, Red Cali would have the same corks as the closure-each bottle with one of the 19 corks.

4th Most Admired Wine Brand

19 Crimes winery was ranked as no. 4 in Drinks International’s Annual “The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2020” List with only Catena (Argentina), Penfolds (Australia) and Torres (Spain) ahead of it. It is considered a hot brand both in Australia and the US.

Celebrity Trend

This has been a trend in Hollywood where not only did Francis Coppola sink his savings and opened his own successful winery in Napa Valley, but there has been a string of new arrivals of wine appassionato celebrities indulging in their favourite past time- the last ones being Sara Jane Parker, Kylie Minogue and another famous rapper Post Malone who sold off all the stock of Rose to be sold. within an hour of opening of online selling last month during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Brangelina- the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie couple who set up Miraval winery in collaboration with the famous Chateauneuf du Pape winery Chateau de Beaucastel have split as a married couple but the business is well established and thriving, ostensibly to give a steady income to the children when they grow up. Cliff Richard, the Indian born heart throb of teen-agers yesteryears bought a winery in Algarve, Portugal years ago. The list is now almost endless.

Rapping in India

After a fairly successful Vijay Amritraj from Grover Zampa, do we see a wine Gully Boys by the makers of the awarded movie in India? If the name is not registered for wines by any one, it would be an excellent way to ride the bandwagon of rap music though delWine is confident that sooner or later there will be a spate of labels by Bollywood stars or sports celebrities turned passionate wine connoisseurs.

Several years ago DelWine used to rue the fact that there was not a single Bollywood film with wine being poured, and now it is not happenstance that every other film has at least one such scene. One label by a superstar and a spate of such labels will throng the market, adding significantly to the consumption.

We await that moment with a JAI HO!!

Top 20 Most Admired Wine Brands 2020

Subhash Arora

If you Like this article please click on the Like button