SUN WINEFEST 2009 will feature an all-star cast of celebrity chefs, wine, spirit and ale experts at Mohegan Sun on Saturday and Sunday, January 17 & 18, 2009.  Celebrity chefs include: Todd English, Jasper White, Robert Irvine, Mary Ann Esposito, Govind Armstrong, Jacques Torres, Douglas Rodriguez, Susur Lee, Christina Pirello, Elizabeth Falkner, Pichet Ong, Walter Potenza, Michael Ginor, Chris Schlesinger, Lydia Shire, Loretta Oden and Ihsan Gurdal.   Wine, spirit and ale experts include: Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster, The Brooklyn Brewery; Peter Merriam, Owner, Merriam Vineyards; Mark Lyon, Winemaker, Sebastiani Vineyards; Stephanie Mills, U.S. Courvoisier Ambassador; Jim Collins, Winemaker, Frei Brothers; Eric Cinnamon, Winemaker, Rancho Zabaco; and Susanna Crociani, Winemaker, Crociani Wines.   Mohegan Sun Executive Chef Michael Luboff and his exceptional culinary team will also take part in the events.  The schedule and chefs are subject to change.
The celebrity chefs, wine, spirit and ale experts will be featured throughout the weekend’s festivities in live cooking demonstrations, seminars and the Celebrity Chef Dine Around.  More information and the main stage demonstration schedule is available at sunwinefest.com.
On Saturday evening at 7:30pm, the Celebrity Chef Dine Around will offer guests a unique opportunity to enjoy an evening of delectable food and fine wine as world-famous chefs prepare signature dishes up-close at live cooking stations.  Each dish will be paired with a premium wine to maximize the tasting experience.  
The unparalleled culinary experience also includes an array of memorable desserts presented by Chocolatier Jacques Torres and Mohegan Sun’s noted culinary team led by Executive Pastry Chef Lynn Mansel.   Tickets for the event are $175.00 for both food and wine, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the American Liver Foundation.
The main event at SUN WINEFEST 2009 is the Grand Tasting, which will be held in the Convention Center on Saturday, January 17th and Sunday, January 18th from 12:00pm to 5:00pm each day.  More than 1,000 fine wines and world craft ales, tastings from some of the best restaurants and exhibitors showcasing related services such as wine storage, culinary accessories and specialty foods will be featured.  Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions, hear commentary from the winemakers and experts and enjoy delicacies from some of the region’s finest restaurants by purchasing tasting portions of their signature dishes.
Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $70.00 for a one-day pass and $110.00 for a weekend pass, and may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, over the phone at 1.800.745.3000, or in-person at Mohegan Sun’s Box Office.   To purchase weekend passes for the Grand Tasting please call 860.862.8499 or visit the Mohegan Sun Box Office in person.  Proceeds from the Grand Tasting will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  Please note that all attendees must be 21 or over.
Tickets to the Celebrity Chef Dine Around can be purchased at sunwinefest.com or by calling Life Marketing & Events at 860.953.0444 ext. 144.  Please note that all attendees must be 21 or over. 
SUN WINEFEST 2009 is a production of Life Marketing & Events, a West Hartford, Connecticut-based, full service firm that specializes in marketing, event management and production, public relations, sponsorship, advertising sales, creative design, promotions, publishing and more.
Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States.  Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country.  More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com.