More than three decades after opening, the timing was right to refresh Biltmore’s Winery, creating more spacious tasting rooms and a new wine bar in the area known as Scholar’s Walk.

Modern renovation

The first phase of the project was completed in April 2016. Plenty of wine enthusiasts were on hand for the special preview event and they added their names and their comments to pieces of lumber that would be used in the next stages of renovation. Our winemakers and hosts were overwhelmed by all the warm wishes that were incorporated into the construction and will now remain a permanent part of the Winery. The final phases of the project will be finished in Spring 2017, with a new space for specialty wine tasting experiences located where the original wine bar was, plus a new wine bar on Scholar’s Walk by the iconic clock tower.

History of Scholar’s Walk

“Scholar’s Walk has an interesting history,” said Heather Jordan, Director of Wine Marketing. “When the Winery was first opened, few people knew as much about wine production as they do today. We wanted to help guests understand what we were doing, so we created Scholar’s Walk as a way to tell our wine story.”

With a mix of photography, videos, informational panels, and a timeline mural, Scholar’s Walk engaged guests and helped them learn about our vineyards and our commitment to handcrafting fine wines.

Ann Ashley, Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development, was a member of the team that opened the Winery in 1985, and she remembers helping develop the educational aspects of Scholar’s Walk.

“We had some wonderful displays,” says Ann Ashley, “including a light-up map of our vineyard and audio recordings that explained our winemaking philosophy. It was state-of-the-art technology for the 80s!”

Learning more

Today’s guests can enjoy learning more about the history of Biltmore Wines by exploring the timeline on display at the Winery entrance in Antler Hill Village and the archival photographs and informational panels in the tunnel beyond it—none of which was open to the public when the Winery first opened. We’ve also added more storytelling and behind-the-scenes views in our specialty tours and tastings.

New wine bar

Now that our expanded tastings, tours, and specialty wine experiences have eliminated the need for Scholar’s Walk as an educational tool, we’re ready to convert this elegant brick, beam, and stucco space into a modern wine bar featuring outdoor seating with a view of the iconic clock tower atop the Winery.

“We intend it to be a very relaxing spot,” Heather said, “more like a lounge, where you can linger to enjoy Biltmore wines with friends. We will have a full selection of wines, and there are visually stunning details such as the bar itself, made from a tree that was original to the property.”

As a collector whose interests included fine wines and great literature, George Vanderbilt sought the best of both to share with family and friends at Biltmore.

“In honor of our upcoming Designed for Drama: Fashion from the Classics exhibition premiering in Biltmore House, our winemakers have created two new wines to showcase George Vanderbilt’s passion for great literature and fine vintages,” said Jill Whitfield, Wine Marketing
Manager.

Known as the Library Series, the wines’ commemorative labels feature silhouettes of beloved literary characters with backgrounds resembling fine leather and gold detailing inspired by volumes in George Vanderbilt’s library.

“We wanted the labels to convey that same sense of richness and texture that you find with the covers of classic books,” Jill said. “And the characters we chose represent romance and mystery—two enduring themes in literature.”

Volume I of the Library Series is a velvety and fruit-forward red blend with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and hints of oak and vanilla. The dapper detective on the label was hand-drawn by Lisa Vogel, Assistant Art Director, and bears a marked resemblance to Sherlock Holmes. In his “Books I Have Read” journals, George Vanderbilt notes having read some of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s mysteries.

For Volume II—a white blend with light honey flavors, a touch of spice, and a crisp finish —Lisa drew two figures standing with their backs to each other. Their stiff body language and early 1800s style of dress mark them as the central characters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice which can be found among George Vanderbilt’s books.

“Each volume of our Library Series celebrates Vanderbilt’s lifelong passion for learning, his friendships with notable authors, and the intriguing collections in his vast library,” said Jill. “The Library Series wines feature a remarkable blend of handcrafted taste imprinted with distinctive style.”

Our Library Series wines are available during the exhibition at the Winery, in select estate shops, and online.

Designed for Drama brings together the artistry of great literary works, costume design, and movie making. More than 40 award-winning movie costumes will be on display throughout America’s largest home, accompanied by the original books in George Vanderbilt’s 22,000-volume library that inspired the films. Elaborate costumes from recent films including Sherlock Holmes, Finding Neverland, Anna Karenina, and Far from the Madding Crowd will bring many of Vanderbilt’s favorite stories to life showcased in the grand spaces of Biltmore House February 10–July 4, 2017.

If you think the phrase “any old port in a storm” also applies to port-style wines, think again: the pleasure of sipping a fine port makes it worth the effort of selecting something truly special.

The origin of Port

As the name suggests, Porto or Port originated in Portugal—a country with a long grape-growing and wine-producing history. Port is a type of fortified wine, similar in some respects to sherry, Madeira, Marsala, or vermouth.

While most fortified wines are created by adding some type of distilled spirit (such as brandy) after fermentation, distilled spirit is added to Port wines during fermentation, which effectively kills the actively fermenting yeast. Without yeast to consume it, residual sugar levels in the wine remain high, providing Port with its characteristically sweet flavor.

Becoming a “Port authority”

As with Champagnes and wines of other protected designations of origin, Port can only be labeled such if it originates in the Douro River region of Portugal.

When our winemakers began the lengthy process of crafting this style of wine at Biltmore, they knew it would have to be labeled “dessert-style,” which is the legal wording for Ports that are not from the Douro.

“Although our new port-type wine cannot be labeled Port,” said Heather Jordan, Biltmore Wine Marketing Director, “it is handcrafted here at Biltmore from the traditional Portuguese grapes that would be grown in the Douro region, including Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cão, Tinta Amarela, and Souzão.”

Our winemakers carefully selected these varietals from our California vineyard partners who also supply outstanding fruit for some of our Biltmore Wines and the producers of some of the finest American port-style wines.

“They’ve created a wonderful tawny port,” Heather said, “which refers to the aging process. The tawny designation means that the port has been barrel-aged for at least two years and some oxidation has occurred, deepening the rich notes of nuts and caramel that you’d expect to taste in a more mature port.”

Introducing Ventágeo

“Ventágeo is a first for us,” Heather said. “It is a very traditional port-style wine, and the name combines elements of the Portuguese word for wind with the first letters of George Vanderbilt’s name to create a word that suggests voyage and travel.”

Ventágeo honors George Vanderbilt’s journeys around the globe and the treasures—including fine wines—he carefully chose for his private estate. Intense, handcrafted flavor featuring rich layers of sun-dried stone fruit drizzled with hints of caramel and ripe berries makes Ventágeo a stunning finish for any meal or special moment.

Featured image: Ventágeo in the Champagne Cellar

First image: Winemaker Sharon Fenchak gives guests a preview of Ventágeo at our Vineyard Harvest Celebration in October

Final image: A closer look at the Ventágeo label

Receipts in Biltmore’s archives document that George Vanderbilt purchased and consumed wine on a regular basis, both at Biltmore and during his travels. Records of some trips, including one to Europe in 1891, are especially comprehensive. From receipts it’s clear that Vanderbilt enjoyed a variety of wines and that they were almost always of French origin.

With that in mind, we’d like to introduce you to one of Biltmore’s newest wines. Meet Roussanne—a standard in the Rhône region of France and now a rising star in the U.S.

Maddening & majestic

Described as both “maddening and majestic” by some growers, the late-blooming Roussanne is notoriously difficult to ripen and often yields less fruit than other varietals. Named for its rusty appearance when mature, Roussanne may include shades of rust, gold, and green grapes in a single cluster, signifying multiple levels of ripeness which, in turn, may affect the flavor of the finished wine.

Once cultivated mainly in Europe, Roussanne now seems to be thriving around Santa Barbara, which tends to experience cooler temperatures than the rest of California’s wine regions. This inherent coolness combines with Pacific breezes and fogs to extend the growing season, allowing Roussanne to ripen completely without developing too much sweetness during the heat of late summer.

What to expect

Cool-climate Roussanne wines open with an intriguing floral aroma reminiscent of herbal tea. The taste features a complex richness associated with stone fruits such as peaches and apricots, and a surprisingly “oily” texture gives Roussanne a mouth-feel similar to red wines rather than white ones.

When our winemakers discover exceptional grapes such as Roussanne grown by our California partners, they are inspired to create distinctive wines for the Limited Release series. Handcrafted in small lots, this series allows you to experience their skillful artistry in each bottle.

Our Limited Release Roussanne

Refreshing and easy to drink, our Biltmore Estate Limited Release Roussanne features flavors of lime, kiwi, lemon, and tangerine. It pairs well seafood, including spicy dishes such as the traditional bouillabaisse of southern France. It also provides a nice complement to Asian cuisine, which can be a challenge for most wines.

For our Vanderbilt Wine Club members, we have crafted a delicious Biltmore Estate Limited Release Roussanne-Viognier

blend available exclusively to them. The two varietals combine to create a delightfully rich, full-bodied wine featuring good tannin structure plus flavors of red berries and vanilla.

Please enjoy this archived content from 2016

In 1985, George Vanderbilt’s grandson William A.V. Cecil opened a new state-of-the-art winery in what had been an original estate dairy barn. Little did we know that within a few years, it would become the most-visited winery in the U.S., welcoming a significant portion of our one million and more annual guests to tour our production facility and taste our award-winning wines.

Renovation begins

Three decades have passed since the opening, and the time was right to renovate the Biltmore Winery, expanding its capacity to host more visitors and creating new space for our programs and offerings.

The initial phase of the project focused on updating the smaller Tasting Room plus the addition of a new Tasting Room. Construction began in Fall 2015—with a break for all the lively holiday celebrations—and was completed in time for a special Passholder preview event in April 2016.

Signature event

In August 2016, the second phase of renovation started in the main Tasting Room. During this time, Biltmore Passholders and Vanderbilt Wine Club members were given the opportunity to become part of the project by signing pieces of lumber that would be used in the main Tasting Room. Though covered in the final stages of construction, their signatures, comments, and well wishes are a wonderful tribute to our winemakers and hosts–and Mr. Cecil’s vision to add a vineyard and a winery to his grandfather’s estate.

In just one month of busy days, nights, and weekends, the dedicated construction team completed the project—with beautiful results! While it was difficult to have the main Tasting Room under construction, our Winery staff handled it with grace and professionalism to ensure all guests still enjoyed the true Biltmore experience.

Mission accomplished

Our main Tasting Room officially opened on September 1, just in time for our annual NC Wine Month celebration. Not only is the space more aesthetically pleasing, but the renovation also provides added benefits to our guests, such as shorter wait times on busy days, more room to interact with the Winery hosts, and a more open, comfortable setting to enjoy Biltmore wines.

We invite you to join us soon and discover all our newly-renovated Winery has to offer!

If you ask Biltmore winemaker Sharon Fenchak why some grape varietals are blended into different wines, she’ll tell you there are many reasons, but one of her favorites is to create something special that she thinks Biltmore wine drinkers will enjoy.

“Blending varietals is a combination of art and science,” Sharon says, “and the final blend should ultimately be more delicious and complex than any of single varietals by themselves. That’s not to say that most varietals can’t stand on their own, but when you’re blending, you’re doing it to enhance the final product.”

History of blending

Historically speaking, the practice of blending is as old as winemaking itself. While there’s some sense that old world wines are more often blends and new world wines tend to be separate varietals, this may have more to do with the fact that European wines are typically associated with a particular region such as Bordeaux, Rhone, and Champagne while North and South American and southern hemisphere wines are more likely to be noted by the specific type of grape.

Biltmore blends

At Biltmore, our best-selling blend is our Century Sweet Red created from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel. One reviewer notes:

“I’m not a red wine drinker AT ALL, but this bottle has me ordering again and again…I LOVE this wine, especially with ribs. It’s light, sweet and honestly, the PERFECT…”

For white wine drinkers, our Biltmore Estate White Blend features a blend of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc which one review characterizes as:

“Spectacular blend. Very good nose with hints of vanilla and honeysuckle. Very drinkable and smooth. Delicious.”

The Hunt, one of our finest wines, is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grown in California’s Sonoma County. Aged for 18 months in French and American oak barrels, The Hunt offers good aging potential along with richly refined layers of taste.

Other Biltmore blends:

• Biltmore Century Sweet White
• Biltmore Estate Cardinal’s Crest
• Biltmore Estate Red Blend
• Seasonal releases during spring and at Christmas

We also blend some of our sparkling wines, like our Biltmore Estate Brut and our special seasonal releases for summer and the winter holidays.

Buy any of our wines online or learn where you can buy them locally.

Have you ever wondered how rosé wines are created?

Known as rosé in French, rosado in Spanish, and rosato in Italian, rosé is one of the oldest styles of winemaking because—in its simplest form—it involves leaving crushed red grapes together with their skins for a certain amount of time.

Rosés can range from palest pink to deep red, depending on the varietal and how long it stayed in contact with the skin.

3 main ways to create rosés:

• Saignée
When a red varietal is crushed, the first juice is drawn off and aged separately as a rosé. This process results in very fine rosés and also serves to intensify the flavor of the original red varietal.
• Maceration
A red varietal is crushed and the skins are left in contact with the fruit for up to 24 hours, depending on the desired color and flavor of the final product. This is the most common production technique for rosés and produces excellent wines, including our Biltmore rosés.
• Blending
Red and white juices are blended to create a rosé. This process is used mainly for lower-quality wines, although some outstanding sparkling rosés are created in this manner.

Where did rosés originate?

The world’s earliest red wines were probably closer to rosé than modern red wines because it was not considered desirable to leave the grapes in contact with the skins for more than a day.

Over time, Europe would become the primary producers of rosé wines, but that changed in the early 1950s as rosés were successfully introduced into American markets and emerging California wineries began creating their own versions.

By the 1970s, rosé was often referred to as “blush” wine in the U.S., and though wildly popular, the style gradually became associated with sweeter, less-desirable blended wines. Enthusiasm for rosé began to wane.

Rosé renaissance

Today, rosé wines are enjoying a renaissance as winemakers and consumers explore a range of options from traditional dryer varietals such as Grenache, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah to semi-sweet offerings including White Zinfandel and sparkling Moscato versions.

Designed to be served chilled, modern rosés are excellent for sipping on their own and they also partner surprisingly well with eclectic fare such as spicy Asian cuisine and pizza.

Biltmore rosés

At Biltmore, we continue to explore new styles of rosés as our consumers’ palates evolve and new trends arise.

New for 2019, try our Biltmore Reserve North Carolina Rosé. Pale salmon in color, it features a delightful aroma with notes of strawberry, watermelon, honey, and lime. Semi-sweet and refreshing with flavors of kiwi and honeydew, it pairs well with spicy sausage, blackened chicken, and black bean burgers.

In addition, savor delicious options like our elegant and refreshing Biltmore Estate Dry Rosé with a subtle, fruit-forward bouquet followed by layers of delicate berry flavors.

For a sparkling wine as delicious as it is beautiful, try our coral-hued Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir crafted from Pinot Noir grapes in the traditional méthode champenoise.

Summer is here. With just those three words, you open up a world of warm weather gatherings with family and friends. When you add Biltmore Wines to the mix, you’ve got a great recipe for outdoor entertaining!

“Wines can be a great accompaniment to summer, so don’t overlook the possibilities of refreshing and food-friendly pairings,” said Heather Jordan, wine marketing director. “Especially if you’re planning an outside event like a barbecue, picnic, or pool party.”

For special summer holidays like the 4th of July, we’ve created our Red, White & Blue Trios to pair perfectly with food, fun, and fireworks. Whether you prefer still or sparkling wines, there’s a trio that’s perfect for your celebration:

Red, White & Blue Still Wine Trio

• Vanderbilt Reserve 2012 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
• Biltmore Estate American White Blend
• Biltmore Reserve 2015 NC Chardonnay

Red, White & Blue Sparkling Wine Trio

• Biltmore Estate Blanc de Noir 
• Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs 
• Biltmore Estate Brut

“Sparkling wines are really exciting for summer,” Heather said, “and you can easily create all kinds of bubbly cocktails like our Sparkling Blackberry Punch. You can make one for yourself, or mix up a batch ahead of time to enjoy at your next outdoor gathering.”

Tip: if you’re mixing a larger amount for a group, wait until just before serving to add our Pas de Deux Moscato so the bubbles don’t dissipate too soon.