Pairing Grill & Grigio For Summer

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Chef Brian Hough of Stable Café has created a great grilling recipe that brings together classic Indian cuisine and a fresh take on chickpeas with the intriguing taste and texture of charred broccolini.

Enjoy this recipe for Tandoori Spiced Grilled Chicken with Chickpea Salad and Charred Broccolini with Biltmore Pinot Grigio. Crisp and off-dry, our Pinot Grigio offers a touch of fruitiness with hints of lime and tangerine, plus a nice acidity to balance the heat of the Tandoori spices without overwhelming the vegetables.

Tandoori Spiced Grilled Chicken with Chickpea Salad & Charred Broccolini

Serves 4

Chicken Ingredients

2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 skinless chicken leg-thigh pieces (substitute white meat for a healthier alternative)

Chick Pea Salad Ingredients

1 (15 1/2 – ounce) can garbanzo beans
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 seedless cucumber halved and thinly sliced on a bias
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, finely julienned
Salt and pepper

Broccolini Ingredients

1/2 lb fresh broccolini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 fresh lemon
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Preparation Instructions

Blend yogurt and all seasonings in a large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Mix together the garbanzo beans, olive oil, cucumber slices, tomatoes, and red onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and reserve at room temperature until ready to serve. Toss broccolini lightly in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, about 3–5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and reserve. Grill chicken to an internal temperature of 170 degrees, about 10–12 minutes, turning to prevent burning. Serve chicken over chickpea salad and garnish with the broccolini and chopped cilantro.

Learn more about our Pinot Grigio.

See all Biltmore recipes.

Biltmore Wines Take The Gold

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If you think wines from a North Carolina winery might have trouble competing with some of the finest wines from around the world—think again!

Biltmore Wines faced stiff competition this spring to win gold medals and high points rankings from several of the most prestigious national and international wine events in the industry.

Don’t take our word for it—taste our outstanding wines for yourself. Whether you’re sipping them by the glass or enjoying them paired with your favorite foods, we think you’ll agree that our wines, handcrafted in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, make any occasion more special.

Consumer Wine Awards

Gold Medal – Biltmore Chardonnay Sur Lies
Gold Medal – Biltmore Century Red

Beverage Testing Institute

90 Points – Biltmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon North Carolina 2011
89 Points & Best Buy – Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay North Carolina 2011
87 Points – Biltmore Century Red
87 Points – Biltmore Century White

San Diego International

Gold Medal – Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs
Tasters Guild International
Double Gold Medal – Limited Release Tempranillo
Double Gold Medal – Blanc de Noir
Gold Medal – Malvasia
Gold Medal – Cabernet Franc
Gold Medal – Antler Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Shop all Biltmore wines.

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Bryan’s Favorite Place

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For Bryan McIntosh, the Spring Garden will always hold a special place in his heart. Since beginning his Biltmore career in Food & Beverage operations 12 years ago, he’s spent a great deal of his working life indoors, from managing the Stable Café to his current responsibilities overseeing all food & beverage services in Antler Hill Village as well as operations for The Biltmore Coffee Co. in downtown Asheville.

But the Spring Garden—a secluded space just beyond the Shrub Garden and shaded with towering pines and hemlocks— stands out to him for two reasons.

“It reminds me of a golf fairway, and it’s also the place where my wife and I were married,” he says.

“We met at Biltmore, so it was fitting that we got married here,” Bryan says. “The Spring Garden is an unusual place for a wedding so that made it different and special for us.”

Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted may have named it the Spring Garden for two small springs found here. As befits its name, this garden is glorious in spring with vivid blooms of forsythia, spirea, and redbuds contrasting with majestic evergreens. But summer brings its own beauty to this location, with leafy shrubs and trees creating a calm retreat.

For Bryan, the Spring Garden also had another plus going for it—it was one of the few places where he had not managed an event on the estate so it didn’t have “work” connections for him.

“My wife and I looked all over the Asheville area trying to find an outdoor location for our wedding. We just kept coming back to Biltmore; you can’t beat it,” he says.

 

Learn more about our gardens and grounds.

A Salmon Salad For Summer

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Perfect for a light summer lunch, enjoy this delicious recipe that pairs savory Biltmore Smoked Salmon with fresh greens in a tangy citrus dressing. Try pairing it with a favorite white wine like our Sauvignon Blanc to make any meal a bit more special.

Arugula, Avocado, and Cucumber Salad With Smoked Salmon & Citrus Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Citrus Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange and lime zests
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad Ingredients

  • 6 oz. Biltmore Smoked Salmon
  • Arugula – Spring Lettuce Mix or other lettuce of choice
  • Cucumber
  • Avocado
  • Bean sprouts
  • Grape tomatoes cut in halves
  • Carrot shavings

Preparation Instructions

Salad Vinaigrette: In a small saucepan, reduce (over high heat) the fresh orange juice, lime juice, and citrus zest to 1/4 cup. The mixture should be thick and syrupy. Pour mixture in medium bowl, add mustard, honey, and rice wine vinegar. Whisk to blend. Stir vigorously and slowly drizzle olive oil into the bowl as you whisk. Set vinaigrette aside as you prepare the salad.

Salad: Arrange 2 oz. of salmon on each of 4 chilled salad plates. In a large bowl combine lettuce, cucumber slices, avocado slices, bean sprouts, tomatoes, and carrots. Toss with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Make sure all is well blended. Place salad over salmon. Serve immediately.

See all Biltmore recipes.

Balustrade Rug

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Inspired by the iron and wood elements of the Grand Staircase and the Winter Garden railing in Biltmore House, the Balustrade Rug is created with a flowing scroll pattern. Crafted in wool, this hand-tufted transitional design is a lovely accent for any space. Available in a variety of colors.

See all Biltmore-inspired rugs.

Classics Floral Bidjar Area Rug

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On one of George Vanderbilt’s shopping trips to furnish Biltmore House, he purchased 300 antique rugs and carpets in one day—and we still have the receipt in our archives.

The Classics Floral Bidjar Area Rug is a reproduction of one of many beautiful rugs in the Biltmore House collection. Hand-knotted in 100% virgin wool, this outstanding rug will become an instant heirloom for your home.

See the entire collection of Biltmore-inspired rugs.

Maura’s Favorite Place

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Part of Maura Scarmack’s responsibilities as Senior Catering Sales Manager is to help couples find just the right spot to get married on Biltmore. She also assists with related events such as rehearsal dinners and bridesmaids luncheons, and coordinates wedding details with Biltmore’s food and beverage team. Maura travels around the estate frequently as part of her job, so she’s familiar with many of our outdoor locations.

Her favorite place is the Library Terrace. Why? Well, that’s one spot where her wedding day photography was taken—before Maura even worked for Biltmore! She says their favorite photo from that day was taken from the Terrace and hangs in their living room so they can enjoy it every day.

“On a beautiful day, when the wisteria is blooming and the sun is pouring through the leaves, it’s such a magical place,” she said. “The benches are an ideal place to sit and read a book, just as George Vanderbilt may have done more than 100 years ago.  And the views are, not surprisingly, spectacular.”

More recently, a favorite spot has been the Farmyard at Antler Hill Village. Her young daughter adores visiting the animals there, and Maura says she has just as much fun seeing everything through her child’s eyes!

“These trips to the Farmyard will surely be some of our sweetest Biltmore memories for years to come,” she said.

 

Learn more about our gardens and grounds.

A Topping Fit for Our Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

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Our Crème Brûlée Cheesecake brings the delicious tastes of two classic desserts together in one elegant offering. Winery Manager Rick Deblasio suggests pairing it with our Pas de Deux Sparkling, because the refreshingly sweet bubbles will offer a pleasant match for the richness of both the cheesecake and the crème brulee.

Savor this cheesecake just as it is, or create the perfect finishing touch with our simple recipe for a strawberry preserve-style topping.

Strawberry Preserves Cheesecake Topping

Ingredients

  • 1 quart fresh strawberries, washed, capped, and sliced in half
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

Preparation Instructions

Place halved berries, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and sugar in a medium sauce pot. Stirring very carefully with a spatula or wooden spoon so berries aren’t mashed too much, heat berries over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are slightly soft. Heating the berries with sugar will draw out extra juice. Mix cornstarch and remaining lemon juice together in a small bowl. Stir this mixture into the berries and continue to heat, stirring carefully for about 2 minutes until the juices have all thickened and have become shiny and gel-like. Pour into a plastic container and let cool. When ready to serve, spoon a generous serving of Strawberry Preserves. Topping over each slice of Crème Brûlée Cheesecake.

Serving Tip

To cut cheesecake easily, chill well. Run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry, and cut a slice. Repeat for more slices.

Learn more about Biltmore cheesecakes and find a retailer near you.