The Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina
The Biltmore House is a national treasure, considered the largest private home in the nation. Originally the home of George Vanderbilt, the house now is open to the public along with its extensive gardens, winery, stables, exhibition hall, fishing lake, and more. Plan on at least half a day, or even several days or a week, to experience the many wonders of the Biltmore Estate.
We had lunch at the cozy Cedric’s Tavern, and the spent the rest of the day exploring the house and gardens, marveling at the outstanding Chihuly Exhibit, enjoying a wine tasting at the winery, and casually driving through the massive grounds. We then drove twenty minutes to Vinnie’s Italian Restaurant South in Asheville for a fabulous dinner.
The Biltmore House
Construction on the Biltmore, a 250-room architectural marvel of French Renaissance style, was the largest undertaking in the nation for a personal residence. Over six years some of the best craftsmen in the world came together to build this remarkable home. With 33 bedrooms, 65 fireplaces, and 43 bathrooms, this stupendous structure covers 175,000 square feet – about 4 acres. Almost 10 million pounds of limestone were used, and thousands of skilled laborers contributed to this masterpiece.
The Winter Garden Room welcomes visitors inside the home, with tropical foliage and various works of art. One of our favorite rooms was the formal dining room, the Banquet Room, seven stories tall with a triple fireplace. It is the largest room in the house, with seating for 38 at the main table with maroon chairs and Flemish tapestries. We also loved the library, with a book collection of about 24,000 volumes. The spectacular ceiling of the library features the gorgeous painting by Pelligrini, “The Chariot of Aurora,” originally housed in a palace in Venice, Italy.
The Biltmore Gardens
In addition to the main house, the gardens surrounding the home are outstanding. To the side of the home is the Conservatory, with several formal and informal gardens as well as greenhouses full of colorful and exotic plants. Nature trails connect the gardens to Deer Park, the Lagoon, the Farmyard, and through woodlands to the French Broad River. Famed architect Frederick Law Olmstead designed the grounds to display the beauty of all four seasons more than a century ago.
Stay at Biltmore Properties
Guests can choose from three types of Biltmore properties if they choose to stay overnight. Choices include the premier Cottages on Biltmore Estate, the Four-Star Luxury The Inn on Biltmore Estate, and the more moderately priced Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate. There are many advantages of staying on property, with more time to relax and enjoy the 8,000 acres of this amazing estate.
The Biltmore Winery, The Most Visited Winery in the US
The Biltmore tour tickets include a free tasting at the lovely winery at the Antler Hill complex. We enjoyed five free tastings, starting with the Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay and ending with a Ventageo Red Dessert Wine. We especially enjoyed the Biltmore Estate Albarino, a dry white with hints of tropical fruit, honeysuckle, and citrus. I also liked The Hunt Red Blend from Sonoma County, a rich blend of cabernet sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot.
The winery was a later addition to The Biltmore. In 1971 William Cecil planted his first grape vines below Biltmore House. However, he was unhappy with the first wines produced. He decided to travel to France for more research and brought back Phillipe Jourdan, a sixth generation winemaster, to be Biltmore’s first winemaker. In 1983 construction began on a new state of the art winery, and in 1985 it was opened to the public. Today, Biltmore Winery is the most visited winery in the US.
Fascinating Chihuly Exhibit, The Art of Glass
The fascinating Chihuly Exhibit opened at the Biltmore in the Amherst at Deer Park. The exhibit returned to the Biltmore after an initial showing in 2018, with the most recent updated show scheduled for March 25, 2024 through January 5, 2025. Dale Chihuly brings featured pedestal works, Drawings, and large installations of Chandeliers, Towers, Mille Fiori, and Neon.
We were amazed at the artistry, color, and presentations of these masterpieces. From hanging starbursts, to multi-colored ceilings, and the awesome gardens of orbs, slender eel-like formations, and other contorted shapes glistening in this glass garden. We also enjoyed a short film introducing Dale Chihuly and some of his past works as well as a nice gift shop.
Note that there is an extra admission charge for admission to the Chihuly Exhibit.
Vinnie’s Italian South Restaurant in Asheville
After a full day of exploring the Biltmore and its grounds, we were starving. After some research, we had found the popular Vinnie’s Italian South, a wonderful family Italian restaurant with rave reviews, just twenty minutes from the Biltmore in Asheville.
As soon as we arrived, we could tell from the packed restaurant that it is indeed a local favorite. We were welcomed by a smiling hostess, smiling servers, and smiling diners. Happy couples and families all around us seemed to be enjoying the warm atmosphere, great food, and friendly staff. Photos of popular Italian entertainers, movies, and places adorned the wall.
We started with a Caesar Salad and a shrimp scampi appetizer. For mains, Julie loved her Spaghetti with “Sunday Gravy”, Aunt Stella’s recipe with sweet Italian sausage and meatballs. I was equally pleased with the delicious Chicken Marsala, made with marsala wine, shallots, garlic, and mushrooms. Both dishes were fabulous, made with fresh ingredients and that timeless Italian love.
For dessert, chocolate was calling our names. We ordered the Flourless Chocolate Torte, with layers of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache. It was amazing and satisfied our chocolate craving. The staff was very friendly and professional. I just wished we had a Vinnie’s back home in The Woodlands – so good.
Visit Asheville for Great Time at Biltmore Estates and Vinnie’s Italian South
We truly enjoyed our time at Biltmore Estates and Vinnie’s Italian Restaurant in Asheville. The lovely home and gardens, fun winery, amazing Chihuly Exhibit, and wonderful food at Vinnie’s are all memories we will cherish. And, hopefully, we will be back in the near future.
We were hosted by Vinnie’s Italian Restaurant. All opinions are my own.
