Highball & Harvest Wins People's Choice Award For Sustainable Wine Program

ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - Dec 14, 2016) -  At The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, sustainability goes beyond participating in a handful of programs. Instead, it is a way of life that affects everything from golf to gastronomy. It is fitting then that the resort's farm-to-table restaurant, Highball & Harvest, recently received the People's Choice Award during the 3^rd-annual KEGGY Awards. Showcasing an innovative "cask wine" program, the restaurant represents one part of a resort-wide commitment to environmental stewardship.

Guests at Highball & Harvest immerse themselves in a culture of sustainability from the moment they enter the restaurant. Its cask wine program, which features 16 wines on tap, prevents countless bottles and corks from ending up in the landfill.

Similarly, the restaurant's menu relies heavily on local farms, the most prominent being the hotel's own Whisper Creek Farm. Spanning 7,000 square feet of fruit and vegetable gardens, Whisper Creek Farm delivers produce directly to the resort's restaurants. The farm also partners with Harvest Power to repurpose food waste as organic compost.

Efforts like these have both transformed the fine dining scene in Orlando and earned Highball & Harvest a place in the hearts of ecologically minded organizations like Free Flow Wines, which works to provide leading wine brands on tap to restaurants and venues across the country. In employing reusable stainless-steel kegs, Free Flow Wines reduces significantly the carbon footprint of wines served by the glass. Free Flow Wines developed its KEGGY Awards as a way to recognize industry partners who also help achieve this goal.

While the People's Choice Award may have gone to Highball & Harvest, the restaurant is only one component of the resort's wider ecological efforts. The 528-acre property has implemented a number of additional programs, from pursuing drastic reductions in water usage and chemicals on its golf course, to employing six certified Florida Master Naturalists who are experts in local wildlife and environmental stewardship. In another move that boldly distinguishes this luxury resort from others in Orlando, Florida and beyond, the resort has designated 35 acres of real estate along the golf course as natural terrain that is to remain untouched.

Sustainability is a major underpinning of the resort, and this fact not only benefits the planet; it also resonates with the public. After all, the people have spoken in bestowing this KEGGY Award to Highball & Harvest. And what they're saying is well worth hearing -- and tasting.

About The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Situated on 500 acres of protected tropical landscape, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes welcomes visitors with impeccable service, sumptuous amenities and 18 holes of unparalleled golf. Guests will enjoy views of the gardens, lakes or golf course from their accommodations, which feature personal balconies as well as no fewer than 11 dining destinations that incorporate sustainability and culinary innovation. The 40,000-sq.-ft. spa offers the perfect ending to a day spent in the state-of-the-art fitness center or on the Greg Norman-designed golf course, where innovative programs like the Caddie Concierge and FootGolf complement excellent traditional play. While guests have plenty to explore away from this luxury resort with central Florida theme parks and the Kennedy Space Center close by, they can just as easily make unforgettable memories through the property's numerous recreation opportunities. These include kayaking, fishing and eco-tours along Shingle Creek, the Headwaters of the Everglades. For reservations, please call (800) 542-8680, or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/Orlando.

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, MD., currently operates more than 90 hotels in over 30 countries and territories. More than 40 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.ritzcarlton.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR).