They'll be raising glasses of Rhode Island wine at the U.S. Embassies in the Ukraine and on Barbados for their July 4th festivities.

Every year, U.S. embassies around the world celebrate the Fourth with All-American cookouts and parties with local leaders in government, business, civil society and culture. Newport Vineyards of Middletown has supplied the wines for two celebrations, said John Nunes, vintner and co-owner of the winery with his brother Paul, vineyard manager.

At the embassy in Kiev, the winery's Sauvignon Blanc and Rochambeau Red will be served to some 1,600 guests who will dine on grilled salmon on cedar planks with an orange and avocado salsa. Barbecue beef and pork will also be served with rice salad. For dessert, guests will dive into red, white and blue parfaits with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.

Nunes said Embassy officials liked the historical name of the Rochambeau Red, a blend named after the French general who landed in Newport with 2,000 troops during the Revolutionary War.

In Barbados, a Colonial-themed event is to be held at Las Cibeles, the Ambassador's residence in St. James. Pinot Gris, Riesling, Great White and Merlot from Newport Vineyards will be served with barbeque and New England seafood. No word on the number of guests from Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

This is a first for Newport Vineyards, said Nunes. He said the Barbardos connection to the Ocean State is native son Dr. Brent Hardt, Chargè d'Affaires to the Barbados Embassy. As part of a Rhode Island business delegation visiting the Bahamas a few years ago, Nunes met Hardt. He was stationed there then and didn't forget Newport Vineyards.

"He loves our wine," Nunes said.

Newport Vineyards has won national acclaim of late. A 2008 Riesling won a gold medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition in Rochester, NY. earlier this spring. Entrants came from 14 countries and 41 states. Last August, the 2007 Riesling was awarded Best of Show at the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition in Haymarket, Va. Winemaker George Chelf bested 458 entries for that prize.

As for the Ukraine connection, it began with a visitor to the winery last summer. Nunes said she was vacationing in Newport and had friends at the Embassy in Kiev. She thought the Newport wines would be perfect for the July 4th party. Six months later, he got a phone call from Embassy employee Irina Petrina for a good-size order. It was shipped by boat in February to arrive in time.

As to whether the Embassies paid retail, Nunes said "They have modest budgets.
"It's for the greater good," he said.

Learn more at Newport Vineyards