Established in 1981 by Donald and Nancy Panoz, Chateau Elan is one of the most awarded wineries on the Southeast Coast. It is also credited for being the first winery in the region after prohibition and is now considered the largest winery in Georgia.

Don and Nancy originally met in West Virginia while Don was attending Greenbriar #Military Academy. Years later, both of them served their country in Japan, where Nancy was a counter intelligence secretary and Don and army intelligence officer. After returning to the United States, Don went on to study business at #Duquesne University and operated two drug stores in #Pittsburgh, Pa., while Nancy worked and raised their five children. Don later formed #Mylan Pharmaceutical Corporation, now known as Mylan Laboratories, and became the youngest president of a pharmaceutical company in the US.

Later, in 1969, the Panoz family founded the Elan Corporation after moving to Ireland. Being the first Irish company to have public offerings in the US market, Elan has developed several reputable products over the years, including the nicotine patch.