Biltmore...The Most-Visited Winery in America!!

On Sunday, February 17th, I went to the Biltmore House.  I told you in my last post that I was going to write about the Biltmore the next couple of times I post a blog.  This time I am posting about the Biltmore Winery.

They have over 40 wines that they make there, on the Biltmore Estate.  This winery is the most visited winery in America.

 I am more of a wine drinker than any other kind of alcoholic drink.  I don't drink a lot just an occasional glass after a stressful week (which isn't that many).

I took a tour of the winery, where the tour guide told us that they get 80% of their grapes from California.  Now, don't think that all of their grapes are imported and they just make it there.  The history of it is this.

Seven years before the winery opened, William Cecil (George Vanderbilt's grandson) planted a lot of the vineyards himself.  After the seven years, everything had gone great! There weren't too bad of storms were they were out of business and the grapes were looking wonderful.  Until...there was a bad winter the year before it was suppose to opened.  In May of 1985, it opened with 80% of the grapes imported because the storm of 1984 had knocked down and killed a lot of the grapes.

The tour was very useful (I thought), because it showed me that there are many different things that are being put into the work of the wine making business.  The tour guide also told us that there is a clock tower that is what everyone followed.  Now, I know, if you are at the house and the clock tower is at the farm, how are you suppose to see it.  The Vanderbilts got a clock smith to synchronize all of the clocks together.  The clock only have 3 sides that show that clock.  Why? Because the 4th side of the clock tower faces the pasture, and as our tour guide told us, "They didn't think the cows would care what time it was!"  This is that clock:

Since I am 21, I got to wine taste.  They were all so good! My favorite that I had was the 2011 Chardonnay winner.  It didn't have a bite like all of the others did.  When I say a bite, if you have ever had any type of wine, you know what I'm talking about.  After swallowing my win, I always have the back part of my cheeks that turn up and kind of make me make a face (like a sour face).  I love wine, even though it does make me look weird!

I would suggest that you try the winery.  The people that work there are always kind, and always have great smiles on their faces.  It's an experience like non that I have every had.

Until the next post, have a fun and safe travel!

-Bekah Grace