Biltmore's Vineyards
Our 94-acre estate vineyard is in a valley near the French Broad River. We enjoy a favorable climate for grape cultivation. Our varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. All grapes are picked by hand, with a harvest averaging 250 tons of grapes annually.
A Day In The Life:
Harvesting vinifera grapes for award-winning wines
Vineyard Director Dennis Wynne honored as 2008 N.C. Winegrower of Excellence
Dennis has worked for 28 years to help our vineyards produce the best grapes for the best wines possible. He recently received the "Winegrower of Excellence for 2008" award from the N.C. Winegrower's Association. "I was shocked and honored," he said. "But the award should go to my entire crew. They're the ones who do it; they make my job so much easier."
Dennis and his seven-member vineyard crew lovingly tend 94 acres yielding six varieties of grapes. It's not for the faint of heart, he warns.
"It's all a gamble. We have to be vigilant about pest control, watering, erosion control and keeping deer, turkey, and geese away from the grapes," he said. "And we are constantly checking the weather; that's the biggest risk factor."
Weather is the big factor that makes or breaks a successful harvest. Too much rain keeps Dennis and his crew on constant alert fighting diseases caused by wetness. Although North Carolina grapes withstand temperature shifts unlike anything seen in California, sudden drops below freezing wreak havoc on the vines and their fruit, despite the crew's best efforts.
Tending the vineyards is a year-round job. The team hand prunes more than 57,000 vines and ties the vines during the winter. From April through summer, they spray, mow, train the vines, pull suckers, spread leaves, and check for pests and fungal disease.
About this time each year, Biltmore Winemaker Bernard Delille samples grapes once or twice a week. "Bernard is a great winemaker," Dennis said. "He comes out and inspects frequently, and then decides when we should pick the grapes."
In mid-August, 60–70 people are hired for the harvest, which begins around Labor Day and continues through October. White varietals are harvested first; Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are the last picked.
"Although viticulture is a gamble and hard work, it's very rewarding," said Dennis. "And with our climate, we're pushing the limits on growing vinifera. It's great to know our wines, with all these challenges, are winning competitions in California and France."
One recent award bears this out: the Biltmore Estate® 2008 Viognier, crafted from North Carolina grapes, captured a gold medal at the San Diego International Wine Competition. Try this award-winner along with our other fine wines, at your next visit to the Winery.