Chief Winemaker Peter Gago Travels to Newport to Lead an Evening of Extraordinary Wines, Cuisine and Ambiance at Rosecliff

Newport, RI - June 23, 2009 - Blackstone Caterers, in conjunction with the Preservation Society of Newport County, is pleased to host acclaimed Australian winery, Penfolds, on Thursday, July 23rd, at Rosecliff, located at 548 Bellevue Avenue in Newport.

A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $150.00 per person; tax and service charge are additional. For more information or to make reservations, please call Marybeth Hunte at Blackstone at 401-848-2030. Rooms packages at Castle Hill Inn & Resort are also available and begin at $985.00 per couple inclusive, and include a gourmet breakfast and afternoon tea, in addition to the wine dinner. For more information on rooms packages, please call Castle Hill Inn & Resort at 401-849-3800.

Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker for Penfolds, will host an evening of elegant wines paired with a locally and globally-inspired, four-course menu from Blackstone Caterers' Executive Chef Derek Jolie.

Upon arrival, guests will enjoy an array of passed hors d'oeuvres including: Tuna Tartar with a seaweed salad wonton crisp and ponzu; Roasted Poblano and Sweet Potato Johnny Cake with Aquidneck lobster and citrus butter; Curried Lamb on crisp fry bread; and Miso Scallop Tempura Nest with XO sauce; all served with the 2008 Penfolds Thomas Hyland Riesling.  Hailing from South Australia, this selection shows dominant lemony citrus, granny smith apple and white stone fruits with background hints of cinnamon spice and an enticing mineral complexity.

The first course will feature Green Lipped Mussels, Prawns, and Bay Scallops tossed with fettuccini in sweet corn cream with uni foam and a crispy squash blossom, paired with the 2006Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay, which holds true to its Aboriginal name - gradually and impressively opening up in the glass, maturing with time in the cellar. It offers ripe and inviting smoky melon and white peach aromas with subtle sweet butter and lemon notes.

A dish of Pepper Bacon-Wrapped Elysian Farms Lamb will follow, served with creamy polenta, ratatouille, and thyme jus, and complemented by two selections: the 2004 RWT Shiraz, a very seductive style with a plum/blueberry fruit profile and fine ripe tannins, and the 2002 Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz, fresh, exuberant and juicy, with blueberry and plum flavors shaded with hints of white pepper and sage.

The evening's main course will feature Hereford Beef Tenderloin served alongside roasted Hudson Valley foie gras and lobster mushroom ragout.  This decadent dish will be matched with the 2005 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, showing saturated dark fruit flavors of blackberry and mulberry fused with notes of dark chocolate, Ribena and licorice.

Dessert will feature Gippsland Blue Crème Brûlée with poached husk berries, wild strawberries, and a macadamia nut praline, paired with the Penfolds N/V Grandfather Tawny Port, boasting a complex and fragrant nose and an array of nutty, vanillin, aged characters melding seamlessly with hints of raisined fruit, and malt, walnut and toffee flavors.

About Penfolds:

For more than 160 years Penfolds has been a producer of remarkable wines. Through their obsession with quality and commitment to producing fine wine, a tradition has evolved which has had a profound influence on the entire Australian industry and is recognized worldwide.

Penfolds is able to source quality fruit from a diverse range of vineyard sites, including some of the best and oldest vineyards in South Australia. This provides a tremendous resource which allows our Winemakers to achieve a remarkable consistency of style and quality across the entire portfolio.

Penfolds Winemakers are custodians of a great tradition of innovation: pioneering the understanding of the chemistry of wine; developing and refining the concept of multi-regional blending; and producing an incredible list of Special Bins and experimental wines.

This tradition continues today with the development of new regions, the pioneering of new grape varieties and the refinement of both modern and classical winemaking techniques.

From the development of the iconic Penfolds Grange in the 1950s, the creation of the red wine portfolio in the 1960s through to today's Winemaking Trials, Penfolds distinct philosophy and integrity has resulted in international acclaim for both its winemakers and wines.

About Peter Gago, Winemaker

Chief Winemaker Peter Gago began his tenure at Penfolds in 1989 making sparkling wine, then reds, and then served as Penfolds Red Wine Oenologist before being appointed Chief Winemaker. In 2002, Peter took over the mantle from his friend and colleague, John Duval, making him the fourth winemaker to be responsible for Penfolds' icon wine, Grange.  He was named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2005.

About Blackstone Caterers:

Blackstone Caterers, Rhode Island's premier catering operation, was founded in 1945 and has steadily grown to its position of preeminence among Southern New England caterers through its dedication to quality products, creativity, and flawless service. For more information on Blackstone Caterers, please visit their website at www.blackstonecaterers.com.

Blackstone Caterers is operated by Newport Harbor Corporation, an employee-owned (ESOP) hospitality corporation based in Newport, RI. For more information on Newport Harbor Corporation, please visit their website at www.newportharbor.com. 

About The Preservation Society of Newport County: 

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island's largest cultural organization, preserves and protects the best of Newport County's architectural heritage. Its 11 historic properties and landscapes - seven of which are National Historic Landmarks - trace America's architectural and social development from the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. In keeping with its mission, the Society strives to offer its members and the public a comprehensive view of each property's architecture, interiors, landscapes and social history. The Preservation Society of Newport County is accredited by the American Association of Museums, arecognition of excellence within the museum community.

About Rosecliff:

Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. After the house was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted fabulous entertainments here, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini.