Wine dregs
A dark purplish-red named for the sediment left in wine vessels
Wine dregs is a rich, dark red with purple hints, inspired by the residue that collects at the bottom of wine containers. The name first appeared in English in 1924, and the colour matches what is known as old mauve. It is officially used by certain fraternities.
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- Named after the sediment at the bottom of wine vessels
- First appeared as a colour name in English in 1924
- Colour coordinates match those of old mauve
- Official colour for certain fraternities
What colour is Wine dregs?
Wine dregs is a deep shade that sits between red and purple, resembling the thick, dark sediment that settles at the bottom of a wine bottle or barrel. Its appearance is heavy and muted, distinct from brighter reds or lighter purples. The colour is identical to what is called old mauve, giving it a subdued and mature look.
Where does Wine dregs come from?
The name wine dregs comes from the solid remains, or lees, found after wine has been left to settle. This term was first used to describe a colour in English in 1924. The shade directly references the natural residue left behind in wine-making, which is known for its dark, reddish-purple hue.
Where Wine dregs is used
Wine dregs has been chosen as an official colour by some fraternities, paired with old gold. Its use in this context gives it a formal and symbolic presence, though the sources do not mention other specific uses in art, textiles, or design.
Purple around the world
What the purple and violet family means from country to country.
In Holy Week, members of religious brotherhoods walk in procession in robes and pointed hoods, many of them purple, the colour of penance. A purple band also marked the flag of the Second Republic.
Sacred and holyPolitics and protestSource: Holy Week in SpainSuffragettes campaigning for women's votes wore purple, white and green: purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope.
Politics and protestCourageSource: SuffragetteA child born to a reigning Byzantine emperor was called porphyrogennetos, born in the purple. The birth took place in a palace room lined with purple stone.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Born in the purpleIn the elections of 2005, voters dipped a finger in purple ink to prevent double voting. The stained finger, held up for cameras, became a sign of the vote.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Election inkPurple dye from the murasaki plant was costly and hard to make. In the court rank system set up under Prince Shotoku, the highest officials wore purple caps.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Twelve Level Cap and Rank SystemThe Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon made Tyrian purple from sea snails. The dye was so costly that it became the colour of kings and Roman emperors.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Tyrian purpleShades and relatives of Wine dregs
Wine dregs is visually the same as old mauve, a name that appeared in English a year later. While both refer to the same colour coordinates, the names evoke different images: one of wine-making, the other of faded purple. The shade is distinct from brighter wine reds or lighter mauves.
Colours that go with Wine dregs
Harmonies are worked out from the value #673147. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Wine dregs
What colour is wine dregs?
Wine dregs is a dark, muted red with purple tones, similar to the sediment found in wine containers.
Where does the name wine dregs come from?
The name refers to the lees or residue that settles at the bottom of wine vessels after fermentation.
When was wine dregs first used as a colour name?
It was first recorded as a colour name in English in 1924.
Is wine dregs the same as old mauve?
Yes, the colour coordinates for wine dregs are the same as those for old mauve.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Wine red" (the section "Wine dregs"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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