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Downton Abbey wines go on sale in UK
A wine range inspired by the award-winning TV series Downton Abbey has gone on sale in the UK.
As reported by the Oxford Mail, the Oxford Wine Company has been granted sole UK distribution rights for Downton Abbey Blanc and Downton Abbey Claret.
The pair, both priced at £12.99, have been produced to mark the fifth series of the Edwardian aristocracy drama featuring Hugh Bonneville in the lead role of Lord Grantham.
The brainchild of US-based online wine merchant Wines That Rock, the duo are made in collaboration with Dulong Grands Vins de Bordeaux as a nod to the clarets imported by the British aristocracy from France in the early 1900s.
“The wines are made in Entre-Deux-Mers by fifth generation wine maker Jean-Marc Delong, whose ancestors might well have made the very wines enjoyed at Downton,” Theo Sloot, head of fine wine at the Oxford Wine Company, told the Oxford Mail.
Downton Abbey Claret 2012 is made from 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec in honour of the fact the Malbec was commonly used in Bordeaux blends during the early 20th century, leading to notes of “wild berries, violets and spice”.
Downton Abbey Blanc 2012 meanwhile, is a blend of 70% Muscadelle and 30% Semillon, offering “hints of tangerine and lemon citrus notes”.
Filming of the fifth series of Downton Abbey began in Bampton this week and will air in the autumn.
Wines That Rock produces a number of branded wines aimed at fans, including a Grateful Dead Syrah/Petite Sirah/Zinfandel/Grenache blend, Rolling Stones 40 Licks Merlot and Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet.