Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/91577
property and throughout the country. Like so many others, Mr. Douglas has been part of Biltmore for decades. Since 1984, he has commanded the ongoing development of Biltmore Wines, including expansion into new markets, marketing and production of Biltmore's varietal wines. Mr. Douglas is no stranger to the wine industry. He is past chairman of the American Vintners' Association (predecessor of Wine America), a found- ing member of the Wine Market Council and has served on the national board of directors of the American Institute of Wine and Food. He is also on the board of directors of the Congressional Wine Caucus Foundation, and the list goes on and on. Winemakers Bernard Delille and Sharon Fenchak lead wine production at Biltmore. Originally from France, Delille joined Biltmore Winery in 1986 as an assistant to Jourdain until he retired. Delille, who completed an internship in the Bordeaux region, was also awarded his French National Diploma of Winemaker in Dijon, Burgundy, and crafted wines in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region before arriving at Biltmore. Fenchak is an Army veteran who was stationed in Italy when she felt called to make wine after falling in love with the art of winemaking. After finishing her tour, she earned her bachelor's degree from Penn State and her master's degree in food science from the University of Georgia. She began honing her winemaking skills at smaller southern wineries and arrived at Biltmore in 1999. Fenchak and Delille work tirelessly to construct Biltmore's award winning wines. Today Biltmore is the most visited winery in the United States, has a growing portfolio of 15 varietals and nearly 50 wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and Viognier. The Food and Wine Experience Just as George Vanderbilt envisioned more than a century ago, contempo- rary Biltmore is a working estate that revolves around the food and wine experience. Everyone works together for the good of the winery. The type of close partnership Delille and Fenchak have is common at Biltmore, where turnover is almost non-existent and the big picture of dining and vineyard excellence reigns supreme. Vineyard Director Dennis Wynne, who manages Biltmore's 94-acre vineyard, is the recipient of the "Winegrower of Excellence for 2008" award from the North Carolina Winegrower's Association. He works with Vice President of Agriculture Dr. Ted Katsigianis, who in turn works with Field-to-Table Manager Eli Herman; Herman communicates directly with Damien Cavicchi, Estate Executive Chef, and David Ryba, Chef de Cuisine of The Dining Room at the on-site Inn on Biltmore Estate, who each create dishes that perfectly pair with Biltmore wines. Planning can commence as long as a year out or longer, because much of what is served at Biltmore is produced by Biltmore—beef, lamb and a bevy of vegetables, and wine, because Biltmore enables anyone who enjoys a bottle of wine to share in the grandeur of its rich history. Maybe it's because Biltmore wines are so user- friendly—a wine for every meal, for every occasion, even on days that are anything but special. Biltmore wines appeal to a broad demographic. Biltmore wine drinkers are enthusi- astic to be part of the Biltmore experi- ence. They come from all walks of life. The Biltmore wine shop and tasting room is always a bustling, convivial place filled with all manner of custom- ers whose wine knowledge varies from expert to non-existent. Biltmore wine buyers are fiercely loyal to the brand. And now as the Biltmore wine expansion has continued westward to California, a new world has opened up for the brand. Visitors to Biltmore who leave with Biltmore Winemakers Sharon Fenchak and Bernard Delille. of course. Biltmore Wine Company supports many local growers with about 20 percent of its grapes coming from North Carolina and the remaining derived from California. Cecil once asked the all-important question: "What's more appropriate for a French château than vineyards and a winery?" And the rest, as they say, is vintner history. Why does opening a bottle of Biltmore wine feel so rich—even when that bottle has a retail price that almost anyone could afford? Perhaps it's Biltmore wines take with them an experience, long after the mighty griffins at the front door of the Biltmore House have bid them adieu. Après tastings, agricultural inspiration and the high romance of the main house, Biltmore Wine Company is not really a wine as much as it is a culture all its own. Through the Biltmore wines, people can in some small way commune with the fortunate folks who originally raised their glasses in the grand salons of America's most spellbinding home. november 2012 / the tasting panel / 71 PHOTO COURTESY OF BILTMORE WINES