Solving a Mystery in the Kitchen Pantry Posted on February 19, 2016 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Solving a mystery in the Kitchen Pantry at Biltmore took some detective work, but our Museum Services staff finally cracked the case! “Among the many place settings of china in the Biltmore collection, one set had remained a mystery for many years,” said Lori Garst, Curatorial Assistant. A cup, saucer, and plate from the collection of unidentified china While the set was often referred to as “the Christmas china” because it was used during a 1931 holiday party, or “the employee china” because it was later used by staff members, the origin of the china—and its original purpose in Biltmore House—remained unclear. George Vanderbilt’s elegant white china with burgundy and gold trim. It was manufactured by Minton and Spode-Copeland, and used for everyday occasions. “Most of the china in Biltmore House was chosen by George Vanderbilt,” Lori said. “He selected an elegant white china with a burgundy and gold pattern, manufactured by both Minton and Spode-Copeland. It features his monogram and was used every day for family and guest meals.” Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china matches her father’s pattern but includes her own CSV monogram. While Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china closely matches the pattern her father selected for use in Biltmore House, their monograms distinguish one set from another “We know that Edith Vanderbilt ordered Cornelia’s china in 1923,” said Lori. “And Mrs. Vanderbilt requested that Cornelia’s monogram be in the same style as her father’s. I think it is sweet that her service blended in with the style her father had chosen.” But what of the mysterious china collection on the shelves of the Kitchen Pantry in the Basement? Museum Services began to look for clues about its history. While not as fine as the monogrammed Vanderbilt china, the gold-trimmed white pattern rimmed in crisp navy was definitely elegant and the amount of it suggested it had been purchased with a large number of people in mind. Trimmed in gold and rimmed in navy, this china is elegant, but more sturdy than the monogrammed family china in the collection “We began with the manufacturer’s mark on the bottom of each piece,” said Lori. “Kniffen & Demarest Co. manufactured hotel and steam ship supplies, so the china was well-made and rather sturdy to stand up to use by guests and passengers in public settings.” A conservator shows the Kniffen & Demarest Co. name on a piece of the so-called mystery china While Museum Services was researching details for our Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film exhibition, they finally discovered written references to the china in conjunction with Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil’s wedding. “This set was also sometimes referred to as ‘the wedding china,’ but we never knew which of its three names was correct until recently,” said Lori. “The pieces came together at last, and we realized that this was the china that had been ordered for the buffet at Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil’s wedding breakfast.” After the ceremony at All Souls Church in Biltmore Village, the wedding guests and additional reception guests (500 people were invited to the ceremony and reception; another 2500 were invited only to the reception) arrived at Biltmore House. John and Cornelia Cecil and their attendants at the wedding breakfast in the Winter Garden of Biltmore House The newlyweds and their attendants were served at a table in the Winter Garden, and all the other guests enjoyed a buffet in the Banquet Hall, which featured this china. As the years passed, the Kniffen & Demarest china was still used, but its original purpose was forgotten. Today, it’s stored in the Kitchen Pantry where it receives the same care and attention as all the other china in Biltmore’s collection. Enjoy your own Vanderbilt china service Porcelain tea set from the Vanderbilt Service Whether you prefer a tea service or an entire place setting, this beautiful porcelain serveware is based on a Sevres pattern, circa 1888, that the Vanderbilt family once used at Biltmore. The original is on display in the Oak Sitting Room, but you can now enjoy the reproduction set in your own home.
New Life for an Old House Posted on November 6, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Coleman Minter Once an old farmhouse on Biltmore’s West Side, Jones House is now the restored club house for the Biltmore Sporting Clays Club. This remarkable transformation continues to be a contributing building to our national historic landmark designation since May of 1963. Jones House is only one of two homes remaining on the estate from the pre-Vanderbilt era. Reviving the past Biltmore’s Engineering Services team worked hand in hand with architects, the State Historic Preservation Office, and various contractors to adapt Jones House into the Sporting Clays Clubhouse, while preserving portions and features of the building that convey its historical, cultural, and architectural value. This project was completed in December of 2014 and received the 2015 Griffin Award from The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County in the Adaptive Re-Use category. Jones House was named for the farming family that lived there from 1965–1983. Retaining authentic details Brent Merrell, Director of Engineering Services, reflected on the challenges and rewards of the restoration process. He noted, “I thought I knew a lot about restorations until I got involved. Staying true to the heritage of the house proved to be a large task as the structure had deteriorated during the years it sat vacant—the front left corner of the house was 9 inches higher than the back right corner!” The Jones House was built somewhere between 1879 and 1889, likely by Merritt Roberts, a farmer who sold the land to George Vanderbilt’s agent in 1901. This 1,700 square-foot house was originally designed as a one-story home with a gable roof. Two extensions were later added. Today, the home of the Sporting Clays Club houses a lounge area, retail section, bar, bathrooms, and an upstairs classroom. “We tried to keep as much of the original material as possible, so we removed exterior siding, walls, and the whole floor, and we put them all back down,” said Brent. Details like the original windows were also preserved rather than replaced. A nine-pane window upstairs at the front of the house wasn’t centered originally, so the workers removed the wall that held the window pane and replaced it exactly as it was, offset to the left. Continued preservation efforts The first woolly residents of the Sheep Barn were Southdown sheep, one of which descended from a flock owned by the Prince of Wales. While not always visible to all visitors, the restoration of the Jones House and others, such as the recent restoration of the Sheep Barn, highlights our team’s dedication to conserving, preserving, and restoring historic structures throughout the estate. Designed by farm architect Edward Burnett, the Sheep Barn is currently the oldest structure dedicated to George Vanderbilt’s agricultural legacy. This two-year restoration project focused on preserving key architectural and operational features dating back to its construction in 1890. Originally named the Sheep Shed, it operated as a satellite sheep farm. By 1916, the barn ceased to be used to house sheep and instead was repurposed to shelter Jersey Cattle for the operations of Biltmore Dairy. Restoration began in earnest in 2022 to restore the Sheep Barn to its former glory. Following the original 1890 Burnett plans, numerous architectural elements were restored, such as doors, windows, dormers, and even the historic red and green exterior paint. For an in-depth look at our restoration efforts and the farming operations on the West Side, join us on The Farm to Table Tour & Taste. Thank you for supporting our ongoing preservation efforts during your next Biltmore visit.
Remembering the Forest Fair 1908 Posted on October 16, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux “Statesman! Lumberman! Engineer! Forester! Come! And be welcome! Come as you are, and take us as we are! Come! Rejoice with us! And join us in giving thanks on Thanksgiving Day, 1908″ ― Dr. Carl Schenck’s Biltmore Forest Fair invitation, 1908 Incoming guests were personally greeted at Biltmore Plaza by Dr. Schenck. Cause for Celebration Biltmore forester Dr. Carl Schenck had reason to celebrate in 1908. After 13 years at Biltmore, including a decade at the head of the Biltmore Forest School, he had helped to transform what was a barren landscape of overused terrain into America’s first managed forest, a model for the rest of the country. To increase public awareness of the revolutionary achievements on Biltmore’s 100,000-plus acres of forested land, Schenck orchestrated the Biltmore Forest Fair—a three-day extravaganza held over Thanksgiving weekend. “This event will mark an epoch in American forestry,” proclaimed The American Lumberman. Botanists, forest engineers, lumbermen, state foresters, furniture manufacturers, statesmen, editors, university professors, paper company representatives, and many others attended the Forest Fair. By Invitation Only An invitation to the Forest Fair was extended to 400 guests, including President-elect William Howard Taft. “You may have heard something of the farms and of the forests found on the Biltmore Estate,” the invitation read. “Now we beg of you: Come and see them for yourself!” Although the president didn’t attend, about 100 people did, including educators, furniture manufacturers, and many timber industry executives from across the US. Dr. Schenck overlooked no detail in the planning of the festival. He even advised guests on attire: “Do not don your best! Select a rough, comfortable suit of clothes and a pair of shoes in which you may walk a quarter of a mile without the sensation of ‘walking on a toothache.’” Each guest received a 55-page booklet detailing Schenck’s forest management techniques, including specifics on tree plantings and costs—proof of his dedication to transparency and education. Festival guests on the trail were escorted by a Biltmore Forest School student to the events. The Forest Fair Begins The fair kicked off on Thanksgiving Day, 1908, with a procession of 15 open carriages “decorated in the Biltmore Forest School colors of green and white,” that made its way from the swanky Battery Park Hotel in downtown Asheville to Biltmore Village. Once on the estate, attendees followed their “tireless leader up and down mountain trails” as he “brushed aside apparently impassible thickets.” What he said is lost to time as “the rapid movements of Dr. Schenck and the rustling of innumerable fallen leaves” made it hard to take exact notes. The guests inspected tree plantings across the estate, then enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the Battery Park Inn, during which Schenck led a toast to George Vanderbilt: “a nobly spirited American and as high-principled a man as I ever met.” One attendee reported that the dinner was “in no case indecorous,” but had been “so thorough in a hospitable sense that most of the participants were disinclined to rise at a reasonable early hour” the next day. Friday’s agenda included a visit to the Biltmore herbarium, plant nurseries, dairy, pig farm, and poultry farm, then enjoyed a possum hunt, capping off the evening with a lovely gala dinner. On Saturday, the group made their way to the lumber camps, enjoyed a fishing and shooting contest, and ended the day on Mt. Pisgah in time for sunset, then spent the night “under the stars” at Buck Spring Lodge. An attendee reported that the weather was “of that kind which no memory can recall any nearer perfection” and the scenery so beautiful that “none left the spot willingly.” Mrs. Schenck’s picnic in the wilderness provided guests with lovely hostesses, rest, food, and conversation. Dr. Schenck’s Enduring Legacy The Biltmore Forest School closed its doors in 1913, but Dr. Schenck’s legacy in Western North Carolina can still be felt today by all those who enjoy the pristine beauty of Pisgah National Forest, the forest he helped to establish.Photos provided by Forest History Society of Durham, NC.
A Good Life for Wildlife Posted on October 8, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, welcomes more than a million guests each year—and those are just the ones who come through the gates! In addition to our visitors and Passholders, our 8,000-acre backyard is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including deer, rabbits, turkeys, and migratory waterfowl. In addition to the colorful sunflowers that bloom in the summer, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and millet are planted in our rich fields on the west side of the estate. Cultivating care across the estate We caught up with Kyle Mayberry, Director of Agriculture, and Vince Helton, Senior Director of Facility Operations, to get the ‘outside’ scoop. “We average about 450 acres of field crops each year and 29 of those acres are designated for wildlife food plots,” Kyle explained. While most of these crops are harvested to feed our cattle, sheep, and other farm animals, there’s still plenty left for wildlife and birds. Smaller plantings of radishes, canola, soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown around the estate to provide nourishment through the harsh winter months, for our four-legged and feathered friends. Chimney Swifts spend nearly their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, bathing, and gathering nesting material, landing only to roost and nest. A new home for Chimney Swifts Our dedication to creating a welcoming environment extends far beyond our fields and into some unique conservation projects. One such initiative focused on chimney swifts, a small migratory bird renowned for its spectacular flight patterns and distinctive roosting habits. These birds have been facing challenges as traditional nesting sites become inaccessible. To help, we built a custom-designed chimney swift tower on the estate, providing them with the perfect roosting spot. Biltmore® Grown honey and sunflower oil can be purchased at the Farmyard and in estate shops. The buzz behind Biltmore® Grown Our commitment to the environment extends to our smallest residents too! Busy bees play a key role in producing Biltmore® Grown sunflower oil. They stay hard at work buzzing more than 140,000 blooms, their tireless efforts transforming each blossom into a seed of potential. “We take pride in providing these pollinators with abundant nectar sources across the estate,” Kyle said, “ensuring they have everything they need to create high-quality products, like our sunflower oil and honey, for use in our restaurants and for guests to purchase in our shops.” Strap on your life jackets and get your binoculars ready for a trip down the French Broad on our river birding tour. Discover the call of the wild “Being good stewards of the land applies to the natural wildlife that exists here, and it’s just as important to maintain healthy populations—something we have been committed to since the days of George Vanderbilt,” said Vince. “We follow the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s recommendations for monitoring and managing wildlife to ensure the safety of our guests, grounds, and wildlife.” As always, our guests’ safety is of paramount concern, and we remind you not to approach estate wildlife or birds. In addition, while dogs are welcomed on estate grounds as long as they are securely leashed, state law prohibits pets from entering fenced enclosures protecting farm animals. Visit our complete wildlife viewing policy here. Interested in learning more? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activities aimed at educating our guests about our wildlife friends and their diverse habitats! Consider going on a guided bird walk or getting up close and personal in our falconry class!
An outdoor sculpture comes clean Posted on September 21, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Kristina Smith An outdoor sculpture comes clean, with help from the expert conservators at Biltmore. “From the iconic marble lions in front of Biltmore House to terra cotta figures, bronzes, and more, the estate features 37 pieces of outdoor sculpture and historic plaques,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist. One of the two grand marble lion sculptures that guard the Front Door of Biltmore House According to Kara, each piece of outdoor sculpture is carefully examined and photographed every six months to determine its “health” and what type of cleaning, stabilization, or repairs might be needed. There are four sphinx sculptures atop stone pillars guarding the massive iron entry and exit gates through which guests pass to get their first glimpse of Biltmore House. The sphinx appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology as a creature with a human head and torso–usually female–and the hindquarters of a lion. Egypt’s massive Great Sphinx of Giza sculpture is probably the best-known example in the world. The following photos illustrate how important Biltmore’s process is and what a difference cleaning and preservation make: This elegant sphinx guards the right side of the iron gates adjacent to Biltmore House This sphinx is turned as if to watch the Approach Road while the sphinx on the opposite side of the gates looks toward Biltmore House. The sculpture was in need of a thorough cleansing to rid it of biological growth. Scaffolding was built around the sphinx so our conservators could clean it in place. Conservators carefully cleaned half of the sphinx to show a remarkable difference Biltmore’s preservation experts worked on half of the sculpture at a time to illustrate different stages of the cleaning process. Note how much detail is revealed when the dark biological growth was removed from the hindquarters of this sphinx. The sphinx sculpture cleaned and restored to her full glory After a thorough cleaning, the classic sphinx sculpture once again welcomes guests to Biltmore House in regal style. Learn more about our extensive process to document, clean, and preserve our outdoor sculpture collection.
Preserving Generations of Biltmore China and Crystal Posted on August 17, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Preserving generations of Biltmore china and crystal is a delicate job. If you have fine china or crystal handed down in your family, you can imagine the care it takes to clean and preserve all the fragile place settings and glassware in the Biltmore collection! Generations of fragile china and crystal Gevevieve Bieniosek opens the china cabinet in the Butler’s Pantry There are three generations of china and crystal stored in Biltmore House, and much of it is more than 100 years old. These fragile pieces of the collection are stored in glass-front cabinets in the two-story Butler’s Pantry, and a comprehensive inventory system helps our conservators keep track of each object. A unique identification number is assigned to every dish and glass, the location of the piece is recorded, and a digital photo of it is included in an inventory database. Genevieve cleans saucers that bear George Vanderbilt’s monogram, while the floral patterned plates on the left were chosen by Vanderbilt’s grandson, William A.V. Cecil, for Biltmore’s centennial celebration in 1995 Cleaning all the china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry is a process that takes several weeks to complete. Each piece is dusted, wiped with a mixture of ethanol and water, and dried with lint-free cloths. All the objects are inspected for unstable cracks. “Most of the cleaning and dusting is done in the Butler’s Pantry, because the less we move such fragile pieces, the better,” said Genevieve Bieniosek, Furniture Conservator. Preventing problems Delicate crystal glassware with George Vanderbilt’s monogram in the Butler’s Pantry During a recent cleaning project, the conservators noticed that some of the crystal on display was suffering from ‘glass disease.’ According to Genevieve, this is a condition where components in the glass structure leach out over time, causing the glass to appear cloudy. “If left untreated,” Genevieve explained, “it will eventually create a fine network of cracks over the piece.” The glasses were treated by washing them with mild soap and water, drying them with soft towels, and letting them air dry for several hours. “By treating them now, we avoid permanent damage from the glass disease,” said Genevieve. Improving the process of storing crystal and china This fluted cup and saucer bear Cornelia Vanderbilt’s monogram In addition to careful cleaning of these fragile pieces, our conservators are always looking for ways to improve the overall process for preserving the china and crystal. “We recently looked into different types of padding material to keep the china safer, and placed sheets of polyethylene foam between each dish. The material is very stable, so the sheets don’t break down and create chemicals that could harm the china,” noted Genevieve. Take a behind-the-scenes guided tour The Butler’s Pantry, as seen on The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour Plan a visit to America’s Largest Home today, and treat yourself to The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour. You’ll experience an in-depth look at servant life at Biltmore with this 60-minute guided tour, including rarely-seen areas such as the Butler’s Pantry as you hear fascinating stories of those who worked and lived on the estate in the Vanderbilts’ era. Featured blog image: Biltmore conservators Genevieve Bieniosek and Renee Jolly clean china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry of Biltmore House
National Historic Landmark Designation Illustrates U.S. Heritage Posted on May 1, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina was officially nominated as a National Historic Landmark on May 23, 1963. The original landmark designation was based on the theme “Conservation of Natural Resources.” The description for Biltmore was: At Biltmore, the George W. Vanderbilt estate near Asheville, Gifford Pinchot demonstrated for the first time in the United States that scientific forest management could be profitable and was, thus, good business practice. Another ‘first’ in forestry occurred here in 1898 when the first forestry school in the United States was opened, the Biltmore Forest School, headed by Dr. Carl A. Schenck. Nearly 87,000 acres of the estate’s forest land is now included in Pisgah National Forest. The building in which the school was conducted is owned by the city of Asheville and used today for offices. Dr. Carl A. Schenck with Biltmore Forest School students, 1900. Image courtesy of National Forests of North Carolina Historic Photographs, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina Asheville, Asheville, NC. Beginning in 2000, Biltmore began an effort to expand the landmark designation beyond conservation to include the themes of architecture, landscape architecture, and social history, and to extend the period of significance to 1950 to include the contributions of Chauncey Beadle, estate superintendent, and improvements and significance of the Biltmore Dairy during those years. The Secretary of the Interior approved this expansion on April 5, 2005. Estate Superintendent Chauncey Beadle, 1948 Bill Alexander, Biltmore’s former landscape and forest historian and participant in the five-year project of gathering additional documentation for the expanded designation, said that Biltmore has to submit periodic reports to the National Park Service to describe any changes occurring to the property, including natural disasters and damage such as the floods and tree loss caused by Hurricanes Frances and Ivan in 2005. He also noted that the building referenced in the original nomination is located in Biltmore Village. “The office building at 1 Biltmore Plaza was where the Biltmore Forest School held its fall and winter classes for a number of years,” Bill said. “It was the first new, permanent structure completed in Biltmore Village after George Vanderbilt purchased the village in 1894, followed by the passenger train depot in 1895 and All Souls Church in 1896, all designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt.” 1 Biltmore Plaza in Biltmore Village, 1895 “Biltmore sold the office building to the City of Asheville in 1929, and leased the downstairs for corporate offices while the upstairs was used as a substation of the Asheville Fire Department.” Biltmore eventually repurchased the building and currently uses it for office space. The National Park Service lists more than 2,500 historic properties “that illustrate the heritage of the United States.” National Historic Landmarks include historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts, with each landmark representing an outstanding aspect of American history and culture. Plan your visit to Biltmore today and enjoy the splendor of this National Historic Landmark.
A timeless tradition continues: Biltmore’s employee Christmas party Posted on November 11, 2014 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Although Christmas at Biltmore is our busiest season of the year, for one special night each November, Biltmore employees and their families gather to enjoy their own special Christmas evening amidst the twinkling lights and beautiful decorations adorning Biltmore House. Today, our event programming team oversees the employee festivities, and this tradition is one of the many ways Biltmore honors Mr. Vanderbilt’s legacy. Learn more about the annual employee Christmas celebrations that began over 130 years ago. While there are no images from the first Christmas celebration, we know that preparations for the big event were extensive and no detail was left unattended thanks to archival letters and news articles. Biltmore’s first employee Christmas party When George Vanderbilt first opened Biltmore House to his family and friends on Christmas Eve 1895, guests were greeted in the Banquet Hall by a splendidly tall tree laden with gifts for estate workers. He enlisted the help of Mrs. Charles McNamee, the wife of his friend, who assisted in purchasing land for the estate, to provide Christmas gifts for 300–500 guests, including estate workers and their families. Mr. Vanderbilt greeted everyone in the Banquet Hall on Christmas afternoon, and members of his own family helped distribute the gifts, which included Christmas trees and trimmings for estate employees to decorate their own homes. “Not only did Mr. Vanderbilt provide very generous Christmas bonuses to employees, but can you imagine what this party meant to employees’ children and families? Some people came from as far away as the Tennessee state line, and that was quite a trip—especially in horse and wagon days,” said Patricia, Biltmore’s Entertainment and Events Manager. 1907 receipt of gifts purchased by Edith Vanderbilt for employees Christmas festivities. A festive family affair George married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser in 1898, and she took an immediate and active interest in the estate’s annual Christmas festivities as soon as she and George returned from their honeymoon in October of that year. She began making detailed lists of all employees’ children, their ages, and choosing special gifts for each of them—more than 600 children in all! In 1905, when George and Edith Vanderbilt’s only child, Cornelia, would have been five years old, the New York Times reported the following details about the holiday cheer at Biltmore: “Mr. and Mrs. George W. Vanderbilt this afternoon provided for nearly a thousand children of Biltmore estate employees a big tree in the banquet hall of the chateau. The little ones were loaded with useful gifts and toys…bought in Asheville in the last week…Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt welcomed each of the little guests, many of whom came twenty miles from the coves and mountain tops of the Vanderbilt forest domain, some walking, some by ox team and some mule back…. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt…personally distributed all the gifts, aided by Mrs. Edith Wharton, Mr. Wharton, and Mrs. Ernesto G. Fabbri (George Vanderbilt’s niece].” In her oral history, Edith Cauble, whose parents worked on the estate, recalls: “Christmas parties where Mr. Vanderbilt stood on one side of the front door of the House in tails, and Edith stood on the other side wearing a long velvet dress giving out oranges and candy. In the Banquet Hall there was music and Cornelia would run around with the other children.” Biltmore employee Christmas party held at Antler Hall in 1916. Employee Christmas celebrations continue Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt continued the employee Christmas parties even after George Vanderbilt passed away in 1914. In 1916, the event took place outdoors at Antler Hall—a large home originally located where The Inn on Biltmore Estate now sits. In the archival photograph featured here, you can see Edith Vanderbilt just to the right of center, wearing a dark hat, and Cornelia to her left in a white hat. Today’s employee Christmas festivities include visits with Santa! Modern-day employee Christmas celebrations Although the wrapped packages under today’s Banquet Hall tree are decorative rather than full of surprises, that doesn’t mean Biltmore has ended the Vanderbilt gift-giving tradition! It’s still a grand occasion with gifts for the children, visits with Santa, and a wonderful opportunity to see America’s Largest Home® lit by the glow of candles and firelight during Candlelight Christmas Evenings. “It’s really neat to me that this tradition has remained year after year. We’ve modernized it a little with Excel spreadsheets and such, but otherwise, it hasn’t changed that much. We give more than 300 gifts each year, and though they are more contemporary than the presents children would have received in the early 1900s, they always reflect the Vanderbilt spirit of warmth and generosity,” said Patricia.
Biltmore wine labels past and present Posted on June 23, 2014 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Our Biltmore Estate American Series wine labels have changed through the years to reflect our brand and align with our legacy of taste and style. While George Vanderbilt was a well-known collector of wines, it was his grandson William A.V. Cecil who developed the idea of Biltmore wines to expand his grandfather’s vision of a working agricultural property that could sustain itself. The first grape vines were planted at Biltmore in the early 1970s, and by 1983, Biltmore Estate Wine Company was firmly established. That same year, renovation began on an original estate dairy barn to convert it into a state-of-the-art winery that opened to the public in 1985. Early wine labels “In 1976, our first wine label featured a sketch of Biltmore House along with the Cecil family crest and a rampant lion. The labels were inspired by the very successful Biltmore Dairy logo that consumers already associated with quality and authenticity. Wines bearing this label were only available on the estate,” said Heather Jordan, Vice President of Beverages. Chateau Biltmore wine label, 1976 The next iteration of our labels was created in an effort to simplify the process of choosing wines. Each varietal was numbered, beginning with red wines and moving to whites (dryer whites were even numbers and sweeter whites were odd). “It was a heartfelt method for us,” Heather said, “but we quickly discovered that our customers wanted to know a little bit more about the wine than just its name and number!” These labels featuring the iconic clock tower from the original dairy barn appeared in local markets from 1984–1985 and helped kick off the opening of our new Winery. New wine label designs for new markets Created for us by the experts of Colonna Farrell Design in Napa Valley, these labels highlighted that our wines were neither “French traditional” nor “California modern,” but authentic to Biltmore and reflective of our own unique style and heritage of winemaking. The labels were a big hit with consumers on and off the estate. Five years later, we were ready for the launch of our current wine label. We chose the design experts at CF Napa to help us craft a stunning visual statement that celebrates our history and our passion for fine wines. Biltmore wine labels: a distinctive look Biltmore Estate American Series wine labels For our Limited Release wines in the American Series, it was important to create similar-but-distinctive labels to highlight this special collection available only on the estate, online, or through the Vanderbilt Wine Club®. Biltmore Estate® Limited Release wines, distinguished by a matte black capsule and black-and-gold label, are perfect for sipping by the glass or in craft cocktails. “Handcrafted in smaller quantities, our Limited Release wines are unique,” said Heather. “Sharon Fenchak, our Executive Winemaker, offers creative varietal blends crafted with special techniques, and we invite you to taste them the next time you visit Biltmore.”