Dining Special Offers and Events

Castle Hill Inn & Resort to Host Peter Gago,
2005 Winemaker of the Year

Acclaimed Inn to Host Penfolds’ Award Winning Wines
Newport, RI – September 29, 2006 – Castle Hill Inn & Resort, located at 590 Ocean Drive in Newport, RI, will host Penfolds Winemaker, Peter Gago, recently named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine in 2005. On Saturday, October 14th, Peter will take guests through each selection of wine – including the world renowned Penfolds Grange - as they are paired with Executive Chef Jonathan Cambra’s five-course menu. A reception will begin at 6:30 pm; dinner will be served at 7:30 pm. The cost is $225.00 per person; tax and gratuity are additional. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 401.848.0918 x 148.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Gago to Castle Hill,” said Natalie Ward, General Manager. “Our wine program has a long-standing history with Penfolds, a winery that so many of our guests enjoy each time the visit us. This special evening will not only provide a wonderful marriage of food and wine, but give our guests an education from one of the most exceptional talents in the wine world.”

The evening will begin with a selection of hors d’oeuvres, including Shrimp-White Fish Boudain, Pork Wonton Soup, Pear Tart Tatin with Roquefort cheese, Sweet Potato Cheese Cake with candied pecans, and Baked Sakonnet Oysters with saffron cream. This sumptuous array of appetizers will be paired with two wines: the 2004 Thomas Hyland Shiraz, featuring a nose of cinnamon and youthful shiraz fruit and fruit, acidity, and tannins on the palate with oak in the background; and the 2005 Thomas Hyland Chardonnay, delivering aromas of white stone fruit with subtle cashew characters and flavors of grapefruit and fig enhanced by a creamy character.

Dinner will begin with Roasted Georges Bank Scallops with Sweet Berry Farm apple cider-consomme and autumn-spiced walnut pastry, paired with the 2005 Reserve Bin Riesling, rated an ‘91’ by Wine Spectator, and featuring a nose of limes, lemons, and rose petals, and flavors of apples and ripe fig.

A second course of Vermont butter-poached Lobster Tail served with Aquidneck Island squash-pancetta ravioli and sage-brown butter will follow, served with the evening’s first Super Premium wine by Penfolds, the 2003 Yattarna Chardonnay. Yattarna features aromas of freshly cut limes and granny smith apples with flavors of preserved lemon rind and refreshing acidity, balanced by subtle creamy nougat and blue cheese.

Maple smoked Long Island Duck Breast will be the evening’s third course, served with roasted fig-foie gras pâté, duck cracklings, and St. Henri Shiraz syrup, and will be paired with the 2002 St. Henri Shiraz, a classy, young selection with elegance and balance, featuring savory aromas laced with bay leaf and spice and dark fruit, licorice, and dark spice on the palate, rated a ‘90’ by Wine Spectator.
Dinner will continue with Colorado Stuffed Lamb Loin with forest mushroom-parsley filling, a Vermont chevre-Yukon potato croquet, and lingonberry demi glace, to be paired with the true star wine of the evening, the 2001 Grange, also a Super Premium and rated a ‘93’ by Wine Spectator for its dark berry nose and vibrant flavors of rum-raisin, dark chocolate, and dried fruit.

Dinner will conclude with a Belgian Chocolate Duet: warm bittersweet chocolate espresso with cinnamon foam and a milk chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache center. These decadent treats will be complemented by the Club Tawny Port N/V, featuring a nose of dried fruit, vanilla, and caramel and a palate of rich, spicy fruit, toffee, and walnuts, rated an ‘89’ by Wine Spectator.

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 the Winemaker – Peter Gago
Peter has travelled and tasted extensively, visiting every continent in an effort to introduce people to Australian wine. Peter regularly hosts master classes, tastings and various wine events.

Peter joined the then Penfolds Wines Pty Ltd in 1989. He started his tenure making sparkling wine, then reds, and served as Penfolds Red Wine Oenologist before being appointed Penfolds Chief Winemaker. In July 2002, Peter took over the mantle from his long-time friend and colleague, John Duval, making him the fourth winemaker to be responsible for Penfolds' icon wine, Grange.

Peter strives to simultaneously maintain the Penfolds wine style and explore new territories. "Penfolds wines - both red and white - are made to be true to a particular style each year," says Peter. "I also play a role in the development of new wine styles - an exciting part of the job."

Like most winemakers, Peter's tastes are wide-ranging. "It's important not to fall into the trap of drinking only your own wines," he says. "You have to keep up with what your competitors are doing and with what's happening in other wine-producing countries. You must have benchmarks against which to measure your own achievements - besides, I love trying new (and old!) wines!"

Peter has also co-authored three books with Dr Patrick Iland: "Discovering Australian Wine - A Taster's Guide" 1995, "Australian Wine - From the Vine to the Glass" 1997 and "Australian Wines - Tastes and Styles" 2003. In 2005, he was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

About Castle Hill Inn & Resort
Built in 1874, Castle Hill was constructed as a summer retreat for the renowned scientist and explorer Alexander Agassiz by Boston architect Robert H. Slack. The property was a private residence for much of its history, and was converted into a private inn in the late twentieth century. Today, Castle Hill Inn & Resort exemplifies the warmth and quiet luxury of 19th century seacoast life. Lauded by the New York Times as ‘the best spot in town,’ Castle Hill Inn & Resort has received critical acclaim from national and international travel publications. For information or reservations, please call 401-849-3800 or visit Castle Hill’s website at www.castlehillinn.com.

Castle Hill Inn & Resort is operated by Newport Harbor Corporation, an employee-ownership (ESOP) hospitality corporation based in Newport, RI. For more information on Newport Harbor Corporation, please visit the website at www.newportharbor.com.
-000-

top