If you're like us, you hunker down to watch the "upstairs, downstairs" goings-ons of the Crawley family and their staff with a bottle of wine and some biscuits. Of course, until now, we were forced to drink whatever was in the fridge. But, thanks to Wines That Rock (yes, the same people that gave us Grateful Dead and Rolling Stones wine), we'll soon be drinking Downton Abbey Bordeaux. The wines, produced in collaboration with Dulong Grands Vins de Bordeaux, don't have an official release date, but we're banking on it being tied in with the January 2014 series premiere.
Downton Abbey isn't the first television show to have a beer or wine named after them. In fact, we're kind of shocked that more shows haven't gotten on the branding bandwagon. After all, aSex and the City/SkinnyGirl Cosmo seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? But there are some -- and they are downright inspiring. Here's a list of our five favorite TV-inspired beers and wines.
5. Game of Thrones Iron Throne Beer - To commemorate the third season of Game of Thrones, Brewery Ommegang launched Iron Throne beer. Almost immediately, the blonde ale became a collector's item, with bars and shops selling out of the brew. This is the first of a Game of Thrones series by the brewery.
4. Romulan Ale - What does a hard working Starship captain do after a long day fighting Klingons? Relax with a hearty Romulan Ale. Available throughout the galaxy -- even on planet Earth -- this blue beer proves that you'll drink anything when you're in outer space. At least it's better than Tang. Available for about $5 a bottle.
3. Duff Beer - Imagine our surprise in Rome when we saw Duff on the beer list. Homer Simpson's favorite beer is a premium German pilsner that's wildly popular throughout Europe (go figure). We suggest a weekend trip to Universal Studios in Orlando where you can actually drink Springfield's own brew at Moe's Tavern.
2. Breaking Bad Beer -- What do you do when your television series about a chemistry teacher with lung cancer who turns into a meth dealer becomes a hit? Well, since meth is illegal (and Breaking Bad cold tablets would be a little tasteless) you license a beer. Introducing Breaking Bad beer. Called, "Heisenberg's Dark" it's an India Black Ale by Marble Brewery in Albuquerque. The beer's launch coincides with the start of the show's last season in August.
1. Sopranos Wines - If there's one thing Tony and the guys liked more than going to the 'Bing and whacking people, it was eating. Between "gabagool" sandwiches at Satriale's or pasta at Vesuvio's, there's usually a meal in front of the guys. Of course, you've got to have some wine to go with that -- preferably a nice Chianti. And, like many good Italians, you should have a family wine. Even if that family is a fictional crime family. Enter Sopranos wine -- five different varietals, the wines sell for under ten bucks. We suggest taking a few twenties hidden in the duck food and springing for a few cases.
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