In 1920, alcohol was illegal in the United States because Prohibition, which banned the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol, had gone into effect. But "speakeasies," secret bars, sprang up across cities, and "bootleggers," who illicitly made and distributed alcohol, thrived. As the legal market disappeared, the illegal market filled the void, and organized crime grew rapidly. In this process, gangsters such as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano and Bugsy Siegel amassed enormous wealth and influence, leaving their names in history as emblematic criminals of the Prohibition era.
However, Australia's family-run winery Calabria Family Wines interpreted this Prohibition era as "a historic turning point that led innovation in the U.S. wine industry." On its official website, the winery said, "Without Prohibition, styles like Fumé Blanc or White Zinfandel would not have been born." It emphasized that new styles and brand strategies emerged as the U.S. wine industry was rebuilt after Prohibition.
Kings of Prohibition, presented by Calabria Family Wines, is a wine brand born from this historical backdrop. Calabria Family Wines is a family-run winery founded in 1945 by Italy-born Francesco Calabria and Elisabetta Calabria in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia. It is now operated by the third generation and produces a variety of wines from major Australian regions such as the Riverina and Barossa Valley.
The biggest feature of the Kings of Prohibition series is that each wine is linked to a real figure from the Prohibition era. The red blend is modeled after Al Capone, the Shiraz after Lucky Luciano, and the Tempranillo after Bill McCoy. Each label includes a portrait and story that evoke the figure, adding historical narrative to the enjoyment of drinking the wine.
The protagonist of the Cabernet Sauvignon is Bugsy Siegel, also known as a symbolic figure in the development of the Las Vegas Strip. On the brand's official website, he is introduced as "one of the most notorious and feared gangsters of his time," along with his words, "Everybody deserves a fresh start every once in a while." The figure depicted on the bottle label is also designed after Bugsy Siegel.
The wine region is Australia's Barossa Valley. Thanks to warm days and cool nights that create a large diurnal range, it is regarded as a region with excellent balance between concentrated fruit and acidity. This natural environment helps shape the Cabernet Sauvignon's characteristic rich fruit flavors and firm structure.
Vinification proceeds slowly for about seven to eight days in open-top concrete fermenters. During fermentation, punch-downs are carried out twice a day to press down the cap of grape skins and mix it back with the juice, extracting ample color, tannins and flavor before pressing. After completing alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, the wine is aged for about 10 months in 100% French oak barrels.
The wine shows a deep purple hue. On the nose, black fruit aromas such as blackberry, raspberry and plum are joined by vanilla and spice. On the palate, the concentrated ripeness of berries carries smoothly, balanced by nuances of vanilla oak and soft, fine-grained tannins. It pairs well with lamb chops, steak and aged cheddar cheese.
Kings of Prohibition Cabernet Sauvignon won the grand prize in the New World red wine category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards. The official importer in Korea is Vino H.