Biltmore Holiday Wine Guide Posted on November 3, 2025 at 4:08 pm.Written by Jean Sexton To share the warmth and cheer of Biltmore wines, we’ve created a Holiday Wine Guide to help you make the most of this special season. “Biltmore’s Holiday Wine Guide covers a variety of different celebrations from Thanksgiving to New Year’s and beyond,” said Sharon Fenchak, Executive Winemaker. “There are recommendations for each special occasion, including thanking your hosts and having gifts on hand for surprise guests.” Holiday entertaining with Biltmore wines Our Holiday Wine Guide makes entertaining with Biltmore wines easy this season! “For general holiday entertaining, Biltmore Estate® Cabernet Sauvignon and Biltmore Estate® Pinot Grigio are a great place to start,” Sharon said. “You have a classic bold red wine and a very approachable white wine and that covers a lot of bases.” She recommends rounding out your selections with Biltmore® Reserve North Carolina Rosé, an American Wine Society gold medal winner handcrafted from estate-grown grapes, elegant Vanderbilt Reserve® Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and our bubbly Biltmore Estate® Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. Bring Biltmore wines to your Thanksgiving table Gather everyone around the table for perfect pairings of your favorite Biltmore wines and Thanksgiving dishes. Whether you’re adding a leaf to your table to accommodate a crowd or traveling out of town to visit family, Biltmore wines pair perfectly with everything from turkey and dressing to flavorful new “Friendsgiving” favorites. “Our special Thanksgiving Trio featuring Biltmore Estate® Cardinal’s Crest, Biltmore® Reserve North Carolina Chardonnay, and Vanderbilt Reserve® Sonoma County Pinot Noir makes it easy to pair all your holiday favorites with fine wines,” said Sharon. “If you want to add a bit more variety, Biltmore Estate® Sauvignon Blanc and Biltmore Estate® Merlot are both good picks that complement a wide range of savory options.” Wrap up your gift list with Biltmore wines Share the gift of Biltmore wines this holiday season! Simplify holiday shopping by sharing the gift of Biltmore wines. They make a thoughtful gift for anyone on your list or a special thank-you to your hosts for including you in their celebration. Share fine wines: Consider The Hunt Sonoma County Red Blend or Biltmore Estate® Château Reserve North Carolina Blanc de Blancs and Biltmore Estate® Château Reserve North Carolina Brut Red Sparkling, our finest sparkling wines, handcrafted in the traditional méthode champenoise from outstanding estate-grown grapes. Pair with flair: Opt for long-time guest favorite Biltmore Estate® Cardinal’s Crest, versatile Biltmore Estate® Chardonnay, or our smooth Biltmore Estate® Red Blend. Sweeten the season: Delight someone special with Ventágeo® Red Dessert Wine, lightly sweet Biltmore Estate® Limited Release Chenin Blanc, and our charming Biltmore® Masterpiece Collection Christmas Wine Duo. Join the club: Become a Vanderbilt Wine Club® member or give a year of wine to someone special with a gift membership. Savor hand-selected Biltmore wines each season, save up to 25% on all wine purchases online or at the estate, enjoy access to first release wines and members-only events, and much more. Savor Christmas with Biltmore wines Celebrate the season with your favorite Biltmore wines. Showcase your Christmas Eve gathering, Christmas Day Brunch, and Christmas Day Dinner with our most versatile, food-friendly wines to complement any cuisine. “Our Biltmore Estate® Sauvignon Blanc has brisk acidity that makes it pair well with rich, buttery dishes,” Sharon said, “while Antler Hill® Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an exceptional partner for traditional fare such as prime rib and leg of lamb. We think you’ll also enjoy sharing smooth Vanderbilt Reserve® Reserve Virginia Viognier, spicy Biltmore Estate® Limited Release Malbec, and our award-winning Biltmore Estate® Riesling with your guests.” New Year’s: Ready, set, celebrate! Add festive bubbles to any occasion with our Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir, a sparkling wine crafted with Pinot Noir grapes. For a more memorable midnight on New Year’s Eve or a brunch featuring traditional favorites the following day, be sure to include our sparkling wine, handcrafted in the time-honored méthode champenoise that creates the finest bubbles. “Shake things up with our Biltmore Estate® Blanc de Noir,” suggested Sharon. “Not only is it delicious, but the soft coral color makes it a feast for the eyes, too!” Sparkling wines may be traditional for New Year’s, but Sharon recommends considering a range of other options such as Biltmore Estate® Limited Release Gewürztraminer, Biltmore Estate® Limited Release Tempranillo, and Antler Hill® Carneros Pinot Noir. Biltmore Holiday Wine Guide: Bring home the best for your holidays! Our holiday wine guide offers perfect pairing ideas to bring home the best of Biltmore for all your seasonal celebrations. “When you’re ready to stock up your wine reserves before or after the holiday season, you can find our award-winning vintages, including our Biltmore Holiday Wine Guide suggestions, in estate shops, online, and close to home with our Wine Finder,” said Sharon.
Home for the Holidays: Hosting a Virtual Wine Tasting Posted on October 28, 2020 at 11:11 am.Written by Jean Sexton When you’re home for the holidays, hosting a virtual wine tasting is a great way to connect with family and friends whether they live around the corner or around the world. Hosting a virtual wine tasting Jeff Plack, Senior Director of Wine Production Operations, has created a helpful holiday how-to video for hosting a virtual wine tasting at home with our Virtual Wine Tasting Set. Follow along as Jeff Plack walks you step-by-step through a virtual wine tasting! “You don’t have to be a serious connoisseur to host a tasting,” Jeff said. “Just gather everyone together around their computers, phones, and tablets and start sharing!” Planning process When planning your virtual wine tasting, choose at least three wines to sample together In addition to the video, Jeff also walks you through the planning process below so you’ll have a checklist and other helpful tools. “The simplest tastings usually include at least three wines,” said Jeff, “like three whites or three reds.” Virtual Wine Tasting Tip: Send an invitation to join the online tasting ahead of time, and be sure to include the wine list and any other essentials your online guests will need to purchase or have on hand, including the following items: Wines for tasting Corkscrew Glasses White napkins (to help observe wine color) Container for emptying leftover wine Water and plain crackers for palate cleansing between tastes Pen and paper for notes Print-at-home wine tasting placemats (optional) Choose a theme The 2021 Christmas at Biltmore wines makes a perfect gift for someone special “For white wines, consider light and fruity options such as Biltmore Estate® Pinot Grigio and Biltmore Estate® Riesling. Or try a mix of our sparkling wines—we handcraft several different styles from lightly sweet to bone dry,” Jeff said. For a red wine flight, he suggests choosing bold reds like Biltmore Estate® Cabernet Sauvignon or unique blends including Biltmore Estate® Cardinal’s Crest and Biltmore® Century Sweet Red Wine.Virtual Wine Tasting Tip: For best results, begin the tasting with the lightest wine and end with the most robust one. Bundle the joy Pour on the cheer with a holiday-themed virtual wine tasting If you prefer a holiday theme for your tasting, check out our special offerings that help you pour on the cheer and bundle the savings: Tree-Raising Trio Winemaker’s Wonderland Bundle Holiday Cheer Wine Trio Virtual Wine Tasting Tip: No one wants to be left out of the fun, so we suggest Biltmore Sparkling Red Grape Juice for younger guests or those who prefer a non-alcoholic option. Sense and savor Hold wines up to the light and against a white background like a napkin to tablecloth to see their true color “Before tasting a wine, have everyone hold it in front of a white napkin or tablecloth to observe its color,” Jeff said. “Next, place the rim of the glass to your nose, inhaling deeply to smell the wine’s aroma. After you’ve fully experienced the scent, take a sip and keep it in your mouth for a few seconds so that it comes into contact with all your taste buds,” said Jeff. Virtual Wine Tasting Tip: After savoring the wine by sight, smell, and taste, remind everyone to note their observations about what makes it unique and what they like about it. Add ambience to your tasting Make your virtual wine tasting more merry with a special holiday playlist “As the host of the virtual wine tasting, you’ll want to keep to keep things moving as you guide guests through the process,” noted Jeff. According to Jeff, you can help set a merry mood with a customized playlist of favorites like this one we created especially for holiday entertaining. “After the virtual wine tasting ends, share it with everyone to remind them of the occasion,” advised Jeff. Pour on the cheer Enhance any holiday tradition with a virtual tasting of Biltmore wines To enhance the experience further, consider combining your virtual wine tasting event with another holiday tradition such as your family’s annual tree raising, Friendsgiving, or your neighborhood cookie swap. The possibilities are endless! 2021 Holiday Wine Guide Our Wine Holiday Guide brings together the best of Biltmore for holiday entertaining Whether you’re hosting a party in person, traveling to visit family, or hosting a virtual wine tasting event, let Biltmore help you discover specially curated wine bundles, chef-inspired food pairings, and custom holiday playlists, plus tips, crafts, and videos that bring it all together. In addition, you’ll find all our award-winning Biltmore wines on the estate, online, and close to home with the help of our Wine Finder.