Guest blogger Andy Abernathy is COO of ABC Fine Wine and Spirits

Along with four ABC General Managers and our Director of Purchasing, I visited Biltmore Winery in Asheville, NC, from September 8-11. Our hosts included John Hadley, Eastern Sales Manager, Chuck Whitehead, Vice President of Sales, and Dennis Wynne, Vineyard Manager.

Bright and early Monday morning, we met Dennis Wynne in the western portion of the Biltmore property, nestled on over 8,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC.  Dennis walked us through the beautiful rolling hills as he talked about his wine strategies and Biltmore's philosophies. The vineyard, started in 1970, has 100 acres planted, consisting of mostly Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

A recent Chardonnay vintage received an 86 rating from The Wine Spectator! They usually yield
5-6 tons per acre, but this vintage was 2-3 tons due to weather conditions.  They use #3309 California rootstock, which produces a more French-like Chardonnay. It shows more finesse and has a more Burgundian style than more typical California Chardonnays.

Dennis explained to us, as we watched a few dozen workers hand picking some beautiful clusters of ripe Chardonnay, that he strives for 50% organic farming as part of a practice of sustainable farming.  Biltmore Winery produces North Carolina appellation wines, as well as wines from California. They vinify California appellation wines in California and the non-appellation California wines are vinified in North Carolina.

The Biltmore Winery has wine contracts with many of the best growers in North Carolina and Sonoma California that go back over 30 years.  They purchase more grapes in North Carolina than anyone else. They sell all they grow on the property and need to buy more grapes locally to meet their growing demand.

Biltmore Winery is the 65th largest winery in the United States, and it claims to be the #1 Most Visited Winery in the country, with over twice as many visitors as Mondavi Winery in Napa, California.  The Biltmore property includes a stunning winery tasting room along with winery tours. They sell 33% of their production on the property. Biltmore Winemaker Bernard Delille brings together the art and science of winemaking.  According to their website, Bernard Delille is a native of France and joined the Biltmore Wine Company as Assistant Winemaster in 1986, rising to the position of Winemaker in 1991.

If you get the chance to visit the magnificent Biltmore Winery and Estate, spend several days so you can not only enjoy the winery, but also the great grounds.  After sipping some new wines, check out their nature trails for walking, biking, or horseback riding, or go rafting on the French Broad river that runs through the property.  You can also try doing a Segway tour, skeet shooting, view their massive colorful gardens, fly fishing, carriage rides and enjoy guided tours of George Vanderbilt's 250 room chateau, built in the late 1800s.