I don’t know about you, but when I’m drinking red wine, I’m thinking prison, convicts, Australian penal colonies. Of course, I didn’t used to do this. I used to just think: “How healthy I am, getting all these antioxidants.” But that was before I tried the wines of 19 Crimes. Made in Australia, the affordable 19 Crimes — so named for the actions that would get a British rogue shipped out on the next boat to Australia — pays tribute to the hardy souls who survived and thrived in the new land. The corks feature one of the crimes that could result in such exile, such as “assaulting, cutting or burning clothes.” The entire cast of “Project Runway” would be doomed. Commit one of these crimes and it's off to the penal colony with you #wine #winelover @19crimeswine A post shared by Connie Ogle (@ogleconnie) on Mar 15, 2017 at 12:50pm PDT With a panel of experts — i.e., a couple of friends who heard the phrase “free wine tasting” and beat down my door before I finished the sentence — I sampled three 19 Crimes wines (there’s also a cabernet sauvignon that sells for $12).

Here’s what we decided, when we weren’t trying to think of prison puns. 2015 Red Wine, $12: Think of this drinkable, unfussy nonvarietal as the misdemeanor of the bunch. It’s less memorable, lighter, unlikely to be sentenced to hard time. It probably just got busted stealing roots, trees, or plants or destroying them (yeah, that behavior would get you shipped off to a prison colony back in the day — if the powers that be saw me attacking the bougainvillea in the back yard I’d be Sydney-bound).corner wine bar The Banished Dark Red 2016, $12: This purple, fruity, Shiraz-heavy wine (with finishes of cabernet sauvignon and grenache) is the tough but sensitive convict who survived the passage and started out doing hard labor on a sheep station in New South Wales but eventually worked his way up to running the post office. best wines to have with turkey

In other words: It’s a success, probably our favorite. Tastes like the warm glow of Ayers Rock at sunset. The Warden 2015, $24.95: A darker, tougher, heavier version of The Banished. It’s like The Banished if The Banished got punished for a real crime, like larceny or busting out of jail. Everything’s more powerful with The Warden: the chocolate; The tasting notes whimsically claim that it coats one’s mouth “with lashings of criminally intense dark fruits.” All I know is it’s not a crime to want more.best funny wine pics Where to buy them: Total Wine or Publixbig red wine fest Our Red Wines and Vinesbig red wine fest Pippin Hill Farm is in its fifth year and our wine program is evolving all the time.  best wines to drink in 2013

As we continue this process, we are proud to source all of our grapes from our own estate, Albemarle and surrounding counties from some of Virginia’s finest vineyards. Our Meritage Reserve shows its foundation in Petit Verdot with dark, brooding fruit framed by tannins of a Merlot that are softened by extended maturation in barrel.  On the nose, notes of black cherry and tobacco prepare your palate for blackberry jam with hints of graphite and vanilla on the finish.  Although it’s delectable now, our Meritage will age well in the cellar. Our champagne style Sparkling Rose features both floral and fruity characteristics on the nose. . . dogwood, honeysuckle and strawberry. . . .with hints of raspberry, tart cherry and honey on the palate.  Perfect for enjoying everyday or to liven up a celebration.Our popular Red Pump is even better this year, emphasis on bergamot, juniper, and cedar on the nose then transcends to deep ripe blackberry on the palate. We suggest serving this at room temp or slightly chilled at a backyard barbecue.

This Rosé is both floral and fruity in the aromatics, like a basket of strawberries garnished with dogwood blossom and honeysuckle. The plush palate of raspberries gives way to tart sour cherries, with a touch of honey. Our Rosé is neither sweet nor dry and that makes it perfect for the spring and summer months. Our Port is rich with balanced sweetness. It leaves a feeling of warmth from the higher alcohol level and has a velvety mouthfeel from its soft tannins. There are dark chocolate and cherry characteristics that come from the interaction of the oak and the brandy used for fortification. We take a classical approach to this varietal, highlighting the blackberry and cocoa nib aromatics.  This vintage boasts toffee and cherry flavors, leading to strong tannins and tobacco leaves. From the extended maceration of the skins to the long barrel aging, we have worked to both preserve and tame the fruit and tannins that are classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Merlot Reserve features a soft nose of chocolate and butterscotch.  

The palate gives way to tart blueberries and cedar while the tannins and minerality on the finish play like the conversation that you’re supposed to be having across the table. Our 2014 Petit Verdot contains an even higher percentage of estate fruit, and, don’t mind if we boast, the quality of our vineyard really shines.  The result is layered aromatically with black cherry and cedar, a concentrated mid palate with notes of plum, black cherry and tobacco, and then finishes with persistent tannins reminiscent of raw leather. Price (high to low) Price (low to high) 14 Weeknight Reds Mix A mix of crowd pleasing and award-winning reds Featuring Trophy and Gold Medal winning Wolf Blass Red Label Shiraz Grenache Including JJ McWilliam Shiraz from a 5 Star Halliday winery A Trans-Tasman mix featuring NZ Pinot and Merlot plus Australia's Shiraz and Cabernet Carefully chosen to compliment change-of-season dinners Includes wines from producers James Halliday rates among the best

Dinner Party Favourites Mix The perfect 14 bottle mix of wines for dinner Includes a bottle of the Stefano de Pieri White Label Moscato Featuring the bronze medal winning Paradox Gisborne Cuvee A World Of Reds From Nelson to Chile, Bordeaux to Argentina, these reds bring the world to your doorstep A tally of 2 Gold medals, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze and 5 stars gives you the assurance of experts If you can't experience these wines in their homeland, travel on your tastebuds for $13.99 a bottle instead Weeknight 14 Featuring Rose 14 bottles to inspire kitchen creativity Includes all-New Zealand Whites and all-Australian reds With two delicious Rose Castillo Del Rey Tempranillo Red 2015 Produced at a BRC certified winery in Cataluña Smooth, fruity and easy to drink Made from the best Tempranillo grapes Essential Reds With Rose A world of reds in one case Favourite varieties from New Zealand, Australia and South America

With two bottles of Lobster Reef Rose Essential Reds With Pinot Noir These really are your essential reds for the season A trans-Tasman assortment including wines from top producers And two bottle of South Island Pinot Noir Boasting 1 Platinum medal, 1 Double-Gold, 6 Golds, 6 Silvers and 6 Bronzes This is red-wine heaven for wine judges Utterly insane value for $19.99 a bottle A Trans-Tasman mix of NZ whites and Australasian reds All chosen to make autumn meal matching easy Delivering the quality of entertaining wines for a weeknight quaffer price Connoisseur's Choice Dozen With Pinot Noir The reds and whites mix with massive regional wow factor Reserve Sauvignon, Chardonnay by Pask and Central Otago Pinot Gris Plus Eden Valley Merlot, Barossa Shiraz and Coonawarra Cabernet Here's the case for those who take their Australian Shiraz seriously It highlights renowned regions such as Barossa, Currency Creek and Clare Valley