Biltmore’s holiday wine guide

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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

Man and woman drinking wine in front of Christmas lights.
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

Menu makeover: Thankgiving table and Biltmore wines.
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

Woman holding a bottle of Biltmore Estate Chardonnay and Christmas gifts.
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.

Savor Christmas with Biltmore wines

Two couples used our Biltmore Holiday Gift Guide to choose perfect wines for the season.
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!

Bottle of Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir and several flutes of wine on a sideboard.
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, and Biltmore Estate® Limited Release Tempranillo.

Biltmore Holiday Wine Guide: Bring home the best for your holidays!

Overhead photo of a table set with Biltmore wines and a fruit-covered garland.
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.

Facebook Fans Help Create Our Christmas Wine Labels

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Please enjoy this archived content.

For 2021, our Facebook fans helped create the labels for our Christmas at Biltmore Red and White Wines.

Facebook Fans helped create our Christmas wine labels
Facebook fans voting online chose the elements for both of our 2021 Christmas at Biltmore wine labels

“This is the fourth year that we’ve used this crowdsourcing process,” said Jill Whitfield, Senior Wine Marketing Manager. “By voting for their favorite holiday styles and themes, our Facebook fans really help us capture the spirit of our annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration on our Christmas wine labels.”

Local artist chosen to create our Christmas wine labels

Biltmore employee by Biltmore House column
Local artist and Biltmore employee Craig Sponsellor

The Biltmore wine marketing team selected artist Craig Sponseller of Asheville, North Carolina, to create two original paintings that would incorporate the holiday images and elements selected by Biltmore’s Facebook followers for our 2021 Christmas wine labels.

According to Craig, this project was especially meaningful because in addition to being an artist, he has also been a Biltmore employee for the past 10 years.

“I work in Mail Services,” said Craig, “and my days are filled with routines related to ensuring that mail is picked up and delivered. This opportunity to develop the artwork for the 2021 Christmas at Biltmore wine labels allowed me to tap into my creative side while focusing on all the beauty of the season here at the estate.”

Facebook fans select two distinct themes

Facebook fans helped choose the labels on Biltmore Christmas wine
The 2021 Christmas at Biltmore wines makes a perfect gift for someone special

After two rounds of online voting, some distinct themes emerged: our fans wanted both a wintry outdoor scene featuring the iconic architecture of Biltmore House, and a warm and wonderful tribute to the towering Banquet Hall Christmas tree inside America’s Largest Home®.

Capturing the exterior of Biltmore House

Sketch for the Christmas at Biltmore White Wine label
Part of Craig’s creative process is the creation of sketches like this that help him refine the details he’ll include in a painting

Craig began the process of creating the Christmas at Biltmore White Wine label by sketching the exterior elements of Biltmore House. He started with a pencil sketch, then refined the details with pen and ink.

“I’m a watercolor artist,” Craig explained, “and it is a very unforgiving medium. If you make a mistake or need to move something around, it’s impossible. That’s why I do the preliminary sketches and refinements so I can be sure I’m on the right track.”

Craig chose to showcase the familiar view from the wall at the end of the Front Lawn. To further the holiday mood, he added a touch of snow to give the painting a frosty feel.

Exterior pencil sketch of Biltmore House with touches of watercolor
Craig refined his initial sketches before adding layers of color washes to the final painting

As for the cheerful red cardinal on the rail, that’s the state bird of North Carolina, and a familiar sight around the estate during this time of year.

“The cardinal was a very specific element that Biltmore’s Facebook fans voted to include on both labels,” Craig said. “It was a challenge to portray a small bird in front of such a large house, but I placed it on the Rampe Douce railing so the cardinal would appear larger in the foreground.”

Creating the Banquet Hall view

Our Facebook fans also voted to see the beauty of the season inside Biltmore House, and Craig was happy to oblige.

Orange tree centerpieces in the Banquet Hall
Inspiration for Facebook fans included this Banquet Hall scene with iconic orange tree centerpieces i

For the Christmas at Biltmore Red Wine label, Craig was able to include many of the wonders in the Banquet Hall, from the grand Fraser fir that dominates the scene during the holidays to a grouping of festive orange tree centerpieces atop the massive dining table.

Pencil sketch for Biltmore Christmas wine label
One of Craig’s early pencil sketches for the Christmas at Biltmore Red Wine label includes the cardinal ornament on the tree in the foreground

“The real challenge here was how to include a cardinal in an indoor scene,” said Craig, “but I was able to work it in as an ornament!”

Stock up for the season on our Christmas wines and more!

Christmas at Biltmore Red and White Wines with Facebook fans labels
Make sure your holiday is seasoned with cheer when you choose Biltmore wines!

Whether you’re in the mood for a fragrant, semi-sweet white wine or a soft, fruit-forward red, our Christmas at Biltmore Wines offer a classic complement to your favorite flavors at the holiday buffet or dessert table. As an added bonus, the lovely labels make both wines a charming gift of the season for someone special.

Find our Christmas at Biltmore Red and White Wines and all your other handcrafted favorites in estate shops, online, or with our Wine Finder.