In the spirit of the holidays, the Biltmore estate, owned by George Vanderbilt, is beautifully decorated for the festive season. Spanning 8,000 acres, Biltmore is recognized as the largest privately owned home in America. It offers a glimpse into the elegant lifestyle of the American Gilded Age, a period marked by significant economic changes and the accumulation of immense wealth.
Advance tickets are now being offered for tours of the Biltmore Estate during the holidays. The halls are adorned with Christmas decorations, including lights, ornaments, and enchanting trees that brighten the grand rooms.
Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the estate and enjoy an audio tour guide during the day. They can also wander through the estate gardens, and visit Antler Hill Village and Winery for a complimentary Biltmore wine tasting.
Wine tastings at the estate can inspire an interest in serving Biltmore Estate wines during holiday gatherings. Biltmore Winery, under the guidance of winemaker Sharon Fenchak, produces award-winning North Carolina wines throughout the year.
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, the 50-acre vineyard cultivates a variety of grapes used to handcraft red, white, rosé, and bubbly Brut wines. The winery’s annual production amounts to 150,000 cases of wine.
As an authority on North Carolina winemaking, Sharon Fenchak has played a pivotal role in developing the state’s wine industry. Her credentials include a bachelor’s degree in food science from Penn State University, a master’s in food science from the University of Georgia, and an MBA from Western Carolina University.
Having joined Biltmore in 1999 as an assistant winemaker, Fenchak assumed the role of head winemaker in 2018, striving to create wines aligned with the esteemed Vanderbilt traditions. Fenchak expresses her pride in producing wines that bear the North Carolina label, emphasizing her lifelong love for winemaking rooted in her early interest in science. She also draws inspiration from her time in Italy while serving in the US Army and the US Army Reserves.
While discussing her winemaking philosophy, Fenchak emphasizes her focus on creating wines tailored to Biltmore guests, highlighting the winery’s offering of 45 different varietals.
Celebrate health, family, and friendship with a glass of Biltmore Estate Brut. Crafted using the traditional méthode champenoise at the estate winery, this sparkling wine blends Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier to create a delightful beverage.
Combining estate-harvested grapes with those sourced from California, this crisp sparkling wine offers delicate bubbles that release vibrant aromas of citrus, white tea, jasmine, and hints of strawberry, culminating in a honey-tinged finish that enriches its full-bodied texture and flavor profile.
Biltmore Estate Brut complements a cheese platter and a seafood tower adorned with crab and prawns, making it an excellent choice to welcome guests during the holiday season, as suggested by Fenchak.
About one-third of the well-balanced Biltmore Chardonnay undergoes aging in oak barrels, making it an ideal accompaniment to holiday roasted turkey served with grilled vegetables and assorted trimmings.
This North Carolina Chardonnay, crafted from the finest grapes at Biltmore Vineyard, delivers a smooth, full-bodied white wine with a pleasing acidity and distinct notes of citrus, vanilla, and a hint of butter. Its oak-infused character makes it a delightful choice for any occasion.
Whether paired with grilled fish or pasta featuring a velvety cream sauce, this Chardonnay promises an enjoyable dining experience year-round.
For those who favor a succulent ham during the holidays, the Biltmore Estate Sauvignon Blanc, aged 6-8 months in oak barrels, offers a crisp white wine that complements the sweet flavors of the ham, enhanced with subtle hints of peach.
The Biltmore Estate Dry Rosé, characterized by its beautiful salmon color and a delicate bouquet featuring raspberry and strawberry, is handcrafted at the estate for year-round enjoyment. This refreshing wine showcases layers of ripe berry flavors accentuated by subtle butter notes.
Fenchak highlights the shift towards a drier profile for this 2021 field blend, making it an excellent choice to accompany roast turkey, chicken, pork, salmon, and sausage during the holiday season.
Red wine enthusiasts can savor the well-balanced Biltmore Estate Pinot Noir, which exudes rich wild cherry aromas and delicate raspberry flavors, resulting from 10-18 months of aging in oak barrels, and is priced at $22.
For those unable to visit Ashville, North Carolina, Biltmore Christmas offerings can be shipped to your doorstep. Via online shopping, customers can acquire Estate wines, Biltmore decorative pillows, classic ornaments, and holiday gifts.
‘A Biltmore Christmas,’ a movie filmed at the estate, is set to premiere on the Hallmark Channel during this holiday season, offering viewers the opportunity to enjoy a visual journey through Biltmore Estate while indulging in a bottle of Biltmore wine. Starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha, the movie is scheduled to debut on Sunday, Nov. 26.
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