A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg

One of my favorite television shows recently had a wonderful plot twist: Downton Abbey, the wonderful British period drama which returned this month to PBS, now has its own wine label, believe it or not!

Available at www.Wine.com and www.DowntonAbbeyWine.com as well as select retailers, the Downton Abbey Wine Collection features two blends from the Bordeaux region of France: a “Blanc” white wine and a “Claret” red wine. 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.

Made in the finest Bordeaux winemaking tradition by the 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, both blends are finely balanced, elegant wines that are eminently drinkable. According to the manufacturer, they’re even using the same vines, soil and region used to produce the wines from the Downton Era.

In addition, other offerings from the collection include a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon. These new world bottlings take their inspiration from Lady Cora Crawley, the thoroughly modern, American-born wife of British aristocrat, Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham.  Bold-flavored and fruit forward, the new wines are a counterpoint to Downton Abbey Wines’ more classically restrained Bordeaux offerings.

Lady Mary would most certainly approve.

Cheers!

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Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on January 23, 2015.

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”