Snoop Dogg’s Wine Review: Is Cali Red Any Good?
Snoop Dogg is better known for green herbs than red grapes, but apparently he does enjoy red wine on occasion (perhaps all that time spent with Martha Stewart has influenced him). He enjoys it enough to have his own wine—or at least to have partnered on one.
So is Snoop’s wine any good? Julien is here to explain.
Introduction
I suspect this is a wine made to please a wide audience: lots of fruit, but the body is fairly modest.
Hello, bonjour, and welcome to your new Bonner Private Wines video, where we learn about wine together every week. Quite often, we also taste wines to find out whether they are genuinely good or simply marketing.
Today, we’re tasting Snoop Dogg’s wine.
Snoop is not especially famous for wine, but he has partnered with a brand to put his name and image on a bottle. We’ll look at where this wine comes from, its story, and then taste it.
Snoop once said: “If the ride is fly, then you must buy.” I’m not entirely sure what that means, but by the end of this video I’ll rate the wine and tell you whether you should buy it.
What Is Snoop Dogg’s Wine?
To enjoy a wine fully, it helps to understand its context.
Did Snoop Dogg buy a vineyard or winery to create his own wine? He certainly could afford to, but no—this appears to be a partnership with an existing wine brand.
Most likely, the wine is produced by an established company under an agreement to use Snoop’s name. His own website mentions the wine, so this appears to be an official collaboration.
The wine is made under the 19 Crimes brand, originally an Australian wine label. The name refers to a historical list of 19 crimes that once led to deportation from Britain to Australia, including offences such as grand larceny, stealing lead, iron or copper, and even impersonating an Egyptian.
Today, 19 Crimes belongs to Treasury Wine Estates, a major global wine company that owns brands such as Penfolds, Lindemans, Beringer, Beaulieu Vineyards, Stag’s Leap, and Etude Winery.
The Wine Itself
This wine is called Cali Red, a California red blend made from California grapes, although no specific region is stated.
The blend is not listed on the bottle, but Snoop Dogg’s website describes it as:
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Petite Sirah
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Zinfandel
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A splash of Merlot
This is a very classic California-style red blend.
Wine details:
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Vintage: 2021
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Alcohol: 12.5%
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Price: Around $10 per bottle
Interestingly, bottles sold in Europe do not mention the 19 Crimes brand, while US bottles do, suggesting slight packaging differences between markets.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
The colour is dark and fairly deep, with a strong red tone at the rim.
It looks dense and appealing, although not particularly distinctive.
Nose
The nose immediately shows:
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Plenty of ripe red fruit
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Blackberry
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Peppery spice
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Minty freshness
There is also a noticeable vinous character reminiscent of winery pressings—the smell you get when grapes are pressed after fermentation.
Behind the fruit there is also:
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Earthiness
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Slight volatile lift
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A background that clearly says “this is wine,” not fruit juice
Palate
On the palate:
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Lots of red berry fruit
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Soft, smooth texture
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Moderate body
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Soft tannins
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Balanced acidity
The wine feels designed to appeal to as many people as possible.
The fruit is generous, the body is moderate rather than powerful, and there is a slight sweetness, but not excessively so.
The earthy, vinous note adds some welcome character.
Overall Impression
This is clearly a crowd-pleasing wine:
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Fruity
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Slightly sweet
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Mildly spicy
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Easy to drink
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Accessible
It does not offer great depth or soul, but at around $10 that is not necessarily expected.
Serve it slightly cool, below room temperature, and it becomes even more versatile and refreshing.
Final Verdict
Well done, Snoop.
If the goal was to create a wine that most people can enjoy, this succeeds.
You are unlikely to be disappointed, though you probably will not be amazed either.
Score: 86–87 / 100
A solid value wine at its price point.
If you find a bottle, it is worth trying at least once.
Closing
That’s it for today.
Watch more videos, stay tuned to the channel, and subscribe if you want to continue learning about wine together.
I also tasted a Brad Pitt wine not long ago—perhaps watch that next.
Cheers!
