Are you one of the 120 million viewers who are glued to TV screens around the world every time there’s a new episode of the award-winning British drama Downton Abbey on television? Now, it’s possible for you to bring a taste of Downton Abbey home with a collection of wines inspired by the television series.
The Downton Abbey Wine Collection features two blends from the Bordeaux region of France: a “Blanc” white wine and a “Claret” red wine. Both will be available in the United States on November 1, 2013, and in Europe and Australia later this year.
In creating this unique collection, Downton Abbey Wines looked to Grands Vins de Bordeaux, a family-owned winery with more than 130 years of winemaking experience in the prized Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux, France. Winemaker Jean-Marc Dulong enlisted time-honored winemaking practices as well as modern techniques to create a collection of finely balanced wines that are eminently drinkable: Downton Abbey Blanc is a light and crisp white blend, while Downton Abbey Claret is medium-bodied red with bright fruit and a silky finish.
“We are excited to launch the Downton Abbey Wine Collection, made in the finest Bordeaux winemaking tradition,” said William Zysblat, co-creator of the wines. “Our collaboration with the Dulong family made perfect sense, as we wanted the same vines, soil and region used to produce the wines from the Downton Era. Having Dulong as our winemaker allows us to create accessible wines that we truly believe the Crawley Family would have been proud to serve at their table.
Winemaker Jean-Marc Dulong added, “It is exciting for me to think about my Bordelaise ancestors crafting their clarets and blancs in the Downton Abbey era. Their know-how, passed down to me through five generations, has inspired my own winemaking. With Downton Abbey Wines, I have strived to capture the essence of Bordeaux in this collection of delicious and approachable wines.”
Downton Abbey Wines are available for $14.99 per bottle.