GRAND CAYMAN, C.I. December 12, 2016 – Today, the restaurants and bars team at the newly opened Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa on Seven Mile Beach announces its Avecita restaurant will host the premiere global launch event for Lingua Franca Wines. The exclusive release of this highly anticipated new label from legendary Burgundian winemaker Dominique Lafon and renowned Master Sommelier Larry Stone will take place on January 14, 2017 during Cayman Cookout 2017, the premier culinary event of the Caribbean. “First Taste” will be Seafire’s first culinary showcase.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of Cayman Cookout for the first time and highlight our elevated culinary and wine programs,” said Andrew Bradbury, General Manager of the restaurants at Seafire. “Our team is looking forward to showcasing the exquisite new Lingua Franca wines masterfully paired with local flavors. Even more special, one of the wines is named after one of our team members at Avecita – something that makes this event dear to our hearts.”

The resort will host a four-course Lingua Franca pairing experience for fifty attendees at Avecita, one of the three dining venues at the resort helmed by Executive Chef Massimo De Francesca. Chefs Massimo De Francesca, George Marrone, Remy Lefebvre and the talented team from Seafire’s own Ave and Avecita will prepare an extravagant four-course dinner with flavors that showcase the selection of exceptional wines.

The debut 2015 vintage of Lingua Franca Cuvées includes inventive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that reflect the complex terroir of Eola-Amity Hills, Ribbon Ridge and the Willamette Valley. Joshua Wludyka, a member of the Seafire culinary team, traveled from Grand Cayman to the vineyard for harvest time, and having so impressed the wine makers, he is now the namesake for one of the wines, the Joshua, Junichi and Siri Pinot Noir.

Hailing from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Lingua Franca has already garnered critical acclaim from top wine critics at early barrel tastes. The accomplished team behind the new release includes Dominique Lafon, an industry veteran whose 30-year career includes managing his family’s namesake winery in Burgundy; Larry Stone, a restaurateur and sommelier who was the first American to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Sopexa for International Sommelier in French Wines in Paris; and Thomas Savre, a French native who trained with Lafon and is one of the top innovative young winemakers in Oregon.

“Launching our new wines at Kimpton Seafire seemed like the perfect fit with the team’s joint history and appreciation for each other’s craft,” said Larry Stone. “We are excited to showcase our exceptional wines paired with the culinary team’s adventurous dishes.”

The “First Taste” Lingua Franca launch event begins at 6:30 PM at Avecita at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, 60 Tanager Way, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman. For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit Eventbrite.com.

ABOUT SEAFIRE RESORT + SPA, SEVEN MILE BEACH, GRAND CAYMAN

Debuting November 2016, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa is Grand Cayman’s first new resort development in more than a decade. Located on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach, the resort melds locally inspired touches, luxurious Caymanian flavor and warm Kimpton spirit. The 266 room resort will offer unmatched, unobstructed water views from nearly every guest room, including a presidential suite and six private bungalows, highlighting the spectacular sun-kissed horizon that inspired the resort’s name. Guests will indulge in a state-of-the-art spa, meander through native botanical gardens, or cool down at one of two ocean-view pools. Kimpton Seafire Resort’s three signature restaurants include a beachside bar and grill, a lively main restaurant with unparalleled panoramic views, and a signature restaurant serving Spanish Tapas with an exclusive Chef’s Table.

ABOUT KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTS

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is a leading collection of boutique hotels and restaurants and the acknowledged industry pioneer that first introduced the boutique hotel concept to the United States. In 1981, Bill Kimpton founded the company that today is renowned for making travellers feel genuinely cared for through thoughtful perks and amenities, bold, playful design, and a sincerely personal style of guest service. Kimpton is consistently ranked as one of the top companies in the Market Metrix Hospitality Index, Upper Upscale Segment, for Customer Satisfaction. The company is highly regarded for its innovative employee culture and benefits and has been named a FORTUNE magazine “Best Place to Work” seven times annually since 2009. Kimpton is continuously growing and currently operates over 60 hotels and 70 plus restaurants, bars, and lounges in 32 U.S. cities. In January 2015, Kimpton was welcomed into the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) family of hotel brands, bringing together two special cultures and sets of values to create the world’s largest boutique hotel business. For more information, visit www.KimptonHotels.com.

IMAGE: http://willamettewines.com/