8th annual event returns to Mohegan Sun on January 28th, 29th and 30th, 2011
The 8th annual Sun WineFest returns to Mohegan Sun from January 28 through January 30, 2011. Can’t-miss events including the Grand Tasting, Celebrity Chef Dine Around, Elite Cru Tasting, Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting and Bubbles & Bon Bons go on sale September 7th through Ticketmaster.
Grand Tasting
The weekend’s main event is the Grand Tasting, which will be held in the Convention Center from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday, January 29th and Sunday, January 30th. Main Stage events and celebrity chef demonstrations during the Grand Tasting include demonstrations from Bobby Flay, Todd English, the Mohegan Sun WineFest Grape Stomp, the 7th annual Mohegan Sun Oyster Open and more.
During the Grand Tasting, guests can sample more than 1,000 fine wines and specialty beers. Guests can ask questions, hear commentary from winemakers and beer experts, and enjoy delicacies from some of the region’s finest restaurants by purchasing tasting portions of signature dishes at a nominal rate. Exhibitors showcasing related services such as wine storage, culinary accessories and specialty foods will also be featured.
Tickets are $70.00 for a one-day pass and $110.00 for a weekend pass. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Channel 3 Kids Camp.
Celebrity Chef Dine Around
Complementing the Sun WineFest 2011 weekend is the Celebrity Chef Dine Around. This guest-favorite benefiting the Connecticut Sports Foundation will feature an all-star culinary line-up.
The evening will feature delectable dishes prepared by world-famous chefs, television celebrities and cookbook authors including Bobby Flay, Todd English, Jasper White, Donatella Arpaia and Robert Irvine. Each dish will be paired with extraordinary wines whose winemakers will be on-hand to meet and greet guests.
The Celebrity Chef Dine Around takes place on Saturday, January 29th from 7:30pm to 11:00pm. Tickets are $175.00 per person.
Elite Cru Tasting
Introduced last year, the Elite Cru Tasting returns to Sun WineFest in The Cabaret Theatre on Saturday, January 29th from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. The Elite Cru Tasting offers select vintages from premium wineries (Silver Oak Napa Valley, Antinori Solaia, Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, Duckhorn Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, to name a few) accompanied by scrumptious hors d’oeuvres. This unique event will give guests an opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with some of the best winemakers in the world in an intimate setting.
Tickets for the Elite Cru Tasting are $200.00 and include a Grand Tasting ticket as well as a complimentary Bottega del Vino stem.
Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting
New to Sun WineFest 2011 is the Whiskey & Bourbon tasting presented by Beam Global Spirits and Wine, which will kickoff the weekend on Friday, January 28th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at Leffingwells Martini Bar. Guests will be able to enjoy delectable hors d’oeuvres under the world’s largest indoor planetarium dome and taste a variety of fine bourbons including Maker’s Mark, Booker’s, Knob Creek and Jim Beam, among others. A dedicated space will also be provided for a premium cigar sampling hosted by Davidoff ─ one of the worlds most sought-after cigars.
Tickets are $75.00 per person and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Connecticut Sports Foundation.
Bubbles & Bon Bons
Ending the Sun WineFest 2011 weekend is the brand-new Bubbles & Bon Bons event in The Cabaret Theatre from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Sunday, January 30th. Bubbles & Bon Bons will give guests a chance to sample a variety of high-end champagnes, chocolates and cheeses and will be a perfect way to conclude the Sun WineFest weekend. Tickets are $95.00 per person.
For more information on Sun WineFest 2011 events, featured personalities and hours and area hotel information, visit sunwinefest.com or Facebook and Twitter at facebook.com/sunwinefest and twitter.com/sunwinefest.
Tickets to the weekend events go on sale Tuesday, September 7th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log onto Tickemaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office or sunwinefest.com starting Wednesday, September 8th, subject to availability.
SUN WINEFEST 2011 is a production of Cirilli Associates LLC, a Connecticut-based marketing firm that specializes in event concepts, event production, and customized marketing and sponsorship programs.
Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and dining 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.