Downton Abbey wine range to be released

A wine range inspired by the award-winning TV series Downton Abbey is to be released.

The cast of Downton Abbey

The brainchild of US-based online wine merchant Wines That Rock, the range will be 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.

Dulong Grand Vins de Bordeaux makes red, white and rosé Bordeaux blends on a grand scale, with a production capacity of 25,000 hectolitres.

The company works in collaboration with 65 partner grape growers across 430 hectares of AOC vineyards.

“Dulong has been in the same family for five generations and has over 130 years of experience, so these are wines the Crawley family would have been proud to serve at Downton,” said Bill Zysblat, co-owner of Wines That Rock.

Butler Mr Carson logs the claret in one episode

Wines That Rock was approached by Knockout Licensing to create the range, comprising a red and a white blend, which will be sold both as single bottles and gift sets.

The wines will be available through distributors in the US and Canada, where the British period drama is hugely popular.

Coincidentally, Downton Abbey’s creator, Julian Fellows, has just announced that Paul Giamatti will be joining the cast in season four

Giamatti previously played Pinot Noir-loving Miles in the wine-themed film Sideways adapated by Alexander Payne from a novel written by Rex Pickett.

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.