19 Crimes labels tell the story of real-life convicts - perfect for spooky season(Image: 19Crimes)

Controversial wine 'despised' by expert releases scary edition in time for Halloween

19 Crimes may split opinion but fans think it's the most terrifyingly tasty tipple you can buy

by · The Mirror

As Halloween approaches, one rebellious wine brand has launched limited-edition bottles just in time for autumn festivities.

Adding a spooky twist, the 19 Crimes Red Wine bottles now feature glow-in-the-dark labels, showcasing eerie figures like skeletons, mummies and the Grim Reaper. When the lights go out, these creepy characters glow green adding some spooky boozy fun to Halloween celebrations.

The Australian wine company with a uniquely morbid backstory, is easily recognisable thanks to its eye-catching packaging featuring historical artists and scholars who received punishment by transportation to Australia. Inspired by the nineteen crimes that turned convicts into the colonists who built Australia, 19 Crimes are known for doing things differently.

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According to the winemaker, the limited-edition 19 Crimes Red Wine collection offers "rich, round flavours, a soft fruity finish, and notes of chocolate."

For fans of the 30-day aged flavour of The Uprising, 19 Crimes promises "an intensely rich, jammy taste with hints of sweet mocha, caramel, and spice—an irresistible treat for the season."

The multi-award winning wine, previously the top choice in Wine List’s ‘The UK’s Favourite Wines’, offers a variety of affordable red, white, and rose wines all with a macabre backstory.

The limited-edition glow-in-the-dark labels are a scream( Image: 19Crimes)

For those who want to hear the historical background of the faces on the bottle, 19 Crimes comes complete with a very cool augmented reality experience. Snap up a bottle, visit experience.19crimes.com and point your phone camera at your bottle to watch their stories come to life.

But not everyone is a fan. TikTok wine expert Luke Flunder has been vocal about his lack of enthusiasm for the brand. When reviewing the 19 Crimes Cabinet Sauvignon as "liquidised candy floss, sugar bomb dross," and the 19 Crimes Shard fared even worse, described by Flunder as "truly rancid."

Each wine bottle tells the story of the convict using an augmented-reality app( Image: J Walter Thompson/Tactic/19 Crimes)

He did however acknowledge the popularity of the 19 Crimes brand, he added: "You have to respect a wine that is so popular."

But what do the experts know? According to the Vivino website, the 19 Crimes Red Blend received over 55,000 four-star ratings and an impressive 15,000 five-star accreditations. Buyers describe it as "a great wine" that's "a nice easy drinker" and "unbelievably good value."

Prices for the limited-edition bottles are as follows:

  • 19 Crimes Red Wine (Skeleton) - £9.50, available at Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, and Co-op
  • 19 Crimes Red Wine (Mummy) - £9.50, Tesco exclusive
  • 19 Crimes The Uprising (Grim Reaper) - £10.50, available at Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, Co-op, and Tesco

These Halloween-themed bottles are sure to light up your parties and add a touch of spooky sophistication to your glass this autumn.