GIFT: Downton Abbey Wines
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When Mr. Carson pulled a bottle of wine from the cellar for Lord and Lady Grantham, it was invariably a fine claret (Bordeaux), the wine of choice among the British nobility of Edwardian England. With fish, a “blanc” made from the Sémillon grape was served. So is it a surprise that the hit show “Downton Abbey”—120 million viewers worldwide—has engendered a licensing deal for “Chateau” Downton Abbey? While the nobility would never have commissioned “private label” wines with their family names and crests, the conceit is amusing to us moderns. We haven’t tasted it, but the caliber of the wine is probably not quite what the Crawleys enjoyed. Yet, the fun factor is up there and at $14.99 per bottle, you can afford it. Think of it as a gift for any Downton Abbey fan, or a fun surprise for Thanksgiving dinner. |
 Food fun: Downton Abbey wines. Photo courtesy Downton Abbey Wine. |
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The Downton Abbey Wine collection is made by Grands Vins de Bordeaux, a 130-year-old family-owned operation in the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. While not well known in the U.S., the appellation is one of the largest in the Bordeaux region, and produces three quarters of the red wine sold under the generic Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux Supérieur labels. Downton Abbey Wines are available online at Wine.com and DowntonAbbeyWine.com, and at selected wine retailers nationwide. Don’t forget to don white gloves before you pour.
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