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Oxford Wine Company signs deal to be exclusive UK importer of Downton Abbey wines

Published:  25 July, 2014

Ted Sandbach of the Oxford Wine Company has become the exclusive UK importer for a special Downton Abbey range of wines, created by French producer, Les Grands Chais de France.

Ted Sandbach and Tim NorthTed Sandbach and Tim North shake hands on the dealOxford Wine Company's Ted Sandbach and Les Grands Chais de France's Tim North strike the deal at Bordeaux airport

Ted Sandbach of the Oxford Wine Company has become the exclusive UK importer for a special Downton Abbey range of wines, created by French producer, Les Grands Chais de France.

The wines, which feature a selection of Bordeaux blends, are in tribute to the runaway success of the ITV costume drama which has become a massive hit not only in the UK but around the world.

Les Grands Chais de France initially made the wines to target the US market, where Downton Abbey has become one of the most watched dramas.

Tim North, UK director of Les Grands Chais de France, said the wines had proved to be a "great success" with American wine drinkers and the group had not originally had plans to distribute them in the UK.

How Sandbach has signed up to distribute the wines in the UK is a story that could have come straight from the Downton scriptwriters.

Sandbach has been part of a Harpers merchants study tour to Bordeaux this week hosted by Les Grands Chais de France. A trip that saw the group, which also included Ruth and Richard Yates of Corks Out, Stephen Forward of Essentially Wine and Julia Jenkins of Flagship Wines, visit a number of picturesque chateaux around St Emilion.

Oxord Wine Company is now the UK importer for Downton Abbey's wines from Les Grands Chais de France

Downton AbbeyDownton AbbeyOxord Wine Company is now the UK importer for Downton Abbey's wines from Les Grands Chais de France

Yesterday Harpers.co.uk jokingly put up a photograph of the group pictured outside one of the grand chateau claiming this was the new secret cast of Downton Abbey.

On seeing the photograph of the Harpers website, North said the link was actually very appropriate as Les Grands Chais had produced its own range of dedicated Downton Abbey wines.

Sandbach immediately saw a great opportunity for the Oxford Wine Company considering a large part of the series is filmed not at Highclere Castle in Berkshire, but in the nearby Oxfordshire village to his business in Bampton.

He told Harpers.co.uk that this was "too good an opportunity to miss". "This is a great way to cash in on the success of Downton Abbey. It is also nice to think I am following in the footsteps of the Earl of Grantham (played by Hugh Bonneville)."

Sandbach is initially taking on a pallet of the Downton Abbey wine and anyone interested should contact him at the Oxford Wine Company or email info@oxfordwine.co.uk.

The Downton wine range includes a Bordeaux Claret and a Bordeaux Blanc from GCF's properties in the Medoc in Bordeaux. Carefully selected and blended for Mr Carson to serve to Lord and Lady Grantham and their family and guests.

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