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Biltmore House is a French Renaissance inspired chateau near Asheville, North Carolina. It was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1888 and 1895 and with 175,000 square feet it is the largest privately owned home in the United States. Vanderbilt named Biltmore by combinin two words: "Bildt", the region in Holland where the Vanderbilt family originated and "more", an old English word meaning upland rolling hills.
Besides the enormous size of the building, the architectural excellence remains a draw for many. The American Institute of Architects ranked the house eight among 150 buildings in its America's Favorite Architecture feature. Perhaps most remarkable, however, is what the house contains:
Biltmore House took 6 years and 1,000 men to build. With just over 4 acres of floor space it contains 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms (at a time, when bathrooms were virtually unheard of), 34 bedrooms and 3 kitchens. The massive stone spiral staircase has 102 steps and in its center suspended by a single bolt is an iron chandelier containing 72 electric light bulbs. The Banquet Hall is 74 feet by 42 feet and the dinner table could seat as many as 64 guests. The meals served were usually 8 courses and required 15 utensils per person to eat.
For a long time, the Biltmore Winery was a dream of William A.V. Cecil, the modern winery completed the vision of George Washington Vanderbilt in creating a self-sustaining estate with vineyards and a winery in the tradition of France's Loire Valley. Biltmore Wines grows several varieties of vinifera grapes on 94 acres at the estate and imports other grapes as needed. The former dairy complex now houses the winery, which produces 75,000 cases each year in about 15 varieties. Many of them have been awarded gold and double-gold medals in prestigious national and international competitions. A self-guided tour and wine tasting is included in estate admission. Wine experts will be on hand to pour samples and discuss the merits of each varietal and vintage.
Afterward, visitors can purchase bottles of a discounted prices at the gift shop and in addition, the winery hosts special events, has an outdoors dining area and occasionally features live music.
The wondrous Biltmore Gardens are the legacy of Fredrick Law Olmsted, described in the March 2005 edition of National Geographic Magazine as the maker of our nation's first great urban parks and the founding father of lanscape architecture in America. The estate's garden experts have also developed a Bloom Calendar to help Biltmore guests schedule visits to the gardens. The schedule varies according to the weather, but offers a general idea as to which species bloom when. The Bloom Report and Fall Color Report also offer up-to-date information on where to find blossoms and changing leaves