Gerret Copeland

For Gerret, a love of wine and the journey that leads to the next great bottle is in his blood. Gerret’s father, Lammot du Pont Copeland, was the 11th president of the DuPont Company. Perhaps more influential to his son’s passion for wine, he was also a founder of the Wilmington, Delaware, chapter of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. His mother, Pamela Copeland, a noted horticulturist, enjoyed fine wine as well and was the first woman in the U.S. invited to join the Chevaliers du Tastevin. Today, Gerret continues his parents’ legacy in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

Gerret’s wine education began early. “Wine wasn’t just part of our lifestyle, it was in our blood,” he recalls. His parents adopted the uniquely French tradition of diluting a half-glass of wine with water for their children at dinnertime. As the proportion of water decreased, Gerret’s appreciation grew.

Years ago, Gerret recalls a friend asking him what his pipe dream would be. “My response was immediate. ‘To own a winery or a vineyard in Burgundy or California.’ A year went by, and the opportunity to purchase a winery in Carneros came up unexpectedly. My fantasy leapt into fast-forward.”

Gerret’s passion for wine is matched by his passion for the environment. After a career in finance, during which he developed a successful New York Stock Exchange brokerage firm, he helped establish the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The Conservancy continues to protect the Brandywine River Valley from pollution and over-development. He is also active with Longwood Gardens (the world famous gardens in Pennsylvania), The Mount Cuba Center for Piedmont Flora (his childhood home, and now a major horticultural center in Delaware), and is the Chairman of the Delaware Art Museum (founded by his grandmother).

“My role at Bouchaine,” Gerret says, “is to make sure we produce the best possible wines from the grapes off our vineyards. Because we are the sole owners, we can easily make whatever changes each harvest calls for, crafting wines that are unique, as opposed to mass-producing something that is standardized.”

Gerret Copeland’s palate and his joie de vivre are complemented by his passion for beauty, his dedication to the environment, and his love of wine. For him, Bouchaine is the ultimate adventure.

In May 2022, in the presence of President Biden, The University of Delaware awarded honorary doctoral degrees in the field of humanities to Tatiana and Gerret Copeland. The University of Delaware is the President's alma mater. In October 2022, the Brandywine Valley SPCA named their new 20,000-square-foot facility the “Copeland Center for Animal Welfare”. This groundbreaking building provides low-cost veterinary care and comprehensive shelter needs to meet the growing demands for services in the community.