The Railcar Red Wine runs smooth

The Railcar Red Wine runs smooth—and we invite you to try it for yourself when it’s back in stock in Spring 2026!

The powerful red blend—handcrafted to honor George Vanderbilt’s personal ties to the American railroad industry—is just the ticket for sipping and savoring with your favorite foods.

The Railcar was handcrafted as a powerful complement to our Biltmore Gardens Railway exhibitions, and a new vintage should be available in Spring 2026.

The Railcar red wine runs smooth

“The Railcar is a distinctive red wine crafted predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot,” said Biltmore Winemaker Sharon Fenchak. “I selected fruit from our vineyard partners in Paso Robles and Lake County—two outstanding grape-growing regions in California’s wine country.”

As soon as you uncork The Railcar, you’ll experience its earthy bouquet that includes hints of caramel, vanilla, plum, black cherry, and baking spice.

Savor The Railcar with barbecue, smoked meats, and pasta with red sauce.

On tasting this medium-to-large bodied garnet-colored wine, you’ll discover bright cherry, plum, and dried fruit flavors up front, a bit of spice, and nice full tannins that make it an excellent pairing partner with barbecue, smoked meats, and pasta with red sauce.

Creating a distinctive label

“When we first talked about creating this wine, we knew it would need a special label that showcased how distinctive it is,” Sharon said. “With that in mind, we reached out to Asheville artist Bryan Koontz to see what he envisioned for The Railcar.”

Bryan refines his graphite concept sketches for The Railcar red wine

Getting on track with a local artist

In addition to being an an exceptional artist who created original artwork for the labels of several of our Christmas at Biltmore Wines and our Biltmore Masterpiece Collection labels, Bryan is a train aficionado whose detailed illustrations of trains have appeared in books depicting the historic development of railroads in this country.

Transitioning from graphite to watercolor

Concepts and sketches

He’s particularly knowledgeable about the types of steam engines that would have been in use in George Vanderbilt’s day, and he drew on that knowledge to create several concepts that he began to refine with a final destination in mind.

“I knew about George Vanderbilt’s railway connections,” said Bryan, “and that he had his own private railcar. That was the height of luxury at that time, to commission a custom-made railcar and travel in style anywhere a train could take you!”

Bryan’s initial concepts and early sketches were rendered in graphite pencil to provide the crisp clarity that characterizes his work. It’s a medium that lends itself to creating all the tiny details of a vintage steam engine.

Refining the details

Bryan at work on the label in his studio

As the concept was refined toward its final iteration, Bryan used watercolors to bring the engine, its cars, and the surrounding landscape to life.

The label nearing completion

The final version looks so real you can almost hear the engine coming down the track toward you—perhaps pulling George Vanderbilt’s private railcar behind it!

Enjoy The Railcar Red Wine

Look for a new vintage of The Railcar Red Wine in Spring 2026.

Harken back to the golden age of train travel with a distinctive bottle of The Railcar Red Wine, available at estate shops, online, or close to home with our Wine Finder. Look for a new vintage of The Railcar Red Wine to be available again in Spring 2026.