The Wine Natty Announces 2026 Best-in-Show Winner: Biltmore Estate Winery 2024 North Carolina Reserve Chardonnay.
The Wine Natty – 4th Annual National Estate-Grown Wine Competition is proud to announce that the 2026 Best-in-Show award goes to the Biltmore Estate Winery 2024 North Carolina Reserve Chardonnay. The award-winning estate-grown Chardonnay received a remarkable score of 95 points along with double-gold medals.
Judges praised the winning Chardonnay, noting, “The complexity of the bouquet and flavor profile is truly exceptional. It is a well-crafted wine that embodies southern elegance in a glass.”
Organized by JenNis Beverage Marketing, a South Carolina-based organization dedicated to promoting the wine and craft beverage industry, The Wine Natty competition aims to highlight the finest wines produced from estate-grown vineyards in the United States. Co-founder Dennis Turner remarked, “All wines entered must be estate grown, produced, and bottled.”
Biltmore Winemaker Sharon Fenchak expressed special sentiment regarding the award, stating, “This recognition is particularly meaningful as these Chardonnay grapes were harvested just weeks before Hurricane Helene caused wide-spread devastation in the region.”
The competition’s judging panel comprised of highly certified industry professionals who evaluated the entries through a blind tasting process. Co-founder Jenni Turner shared, “We are extremely pleased with the overall execution of this year’s competition, the quality and quantity of estate-grown wines submitted, and the exceptional expertise of our judging panel.”
A diverse range of entries for 2026 were received from California to North Carolina, as well as numerous states in between. Previous Best-in-Show winners have hailed from regions such as Lodi and Temecula in California, and the Dahlonega Plateau AVA in North Georgia.
