Biltmore

In the morning, we had several hours of lecture about the things we would see and the history of the Vanderbilt's and Biltmore.  

In the afternoon, we toured the property.  Our bus was able to drop us off (the pic shows a Biltmore shuttle for folks who arrive by car to get from the parking lot) right in front.  

Photography is not allowed inside the house.

This detail shows the external staircase, copied from a European castle.  In that castle, it was built because they forgot to put in an inside staircase.  (I wonder if that's true.)  A docent said that the engineering purpose  for this staircase was to cantilever the weight of the inside staircase which is a wide stone staircase running along the internal wall.    The external staircase looks to be about 18 inches wide.

There are lots of fascinating gargoyles - some are downspouts - some are decorative.

 Outside the library is this wonderful terrace covered by wisteria.  This picture shows about a sixth of the terrace.  It is said that Olmstead spent weeks sitting in this area thinking about the design for the grounds.  The property was bought cheaply because it had been clear-cut.  It was rocky soil, full of tree stumps and was eroding badly.

After visiting Biltmore, we went to the Biltmore Winery.  About 10% of the grapes they use are grown here.  They do make a "champagne".  

Here are the old tilted racks to get the dead yeasts to sit in the neck so that the neck can be frozen and the sediment can be removed.  The tilting and turning is now done mechanically, and the racks are no longer used.  Notice the small white "box" near the gray door.  A champagne cork is about an inch and a half in diameter - to get it to fit into the neck, they need that high-tech equipment - a microwave!  30 seconds in the microwave, and the cork is softened enough to be able to be put in the bottle.  (The tour guide said that will also work to recork the unfinished wine that you are saving for another day. . . )

The gardens are wonderful.

Here a gardener is deadheading the waterlilies.

We returned to Montreat for dinner and an evening presentation of North Carolina ghost stories.

Long day, but lots of fun.