Celebrity Chef Dine Around, Elite Cru Tasting, Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting and Bubbles & Bon Bons will provide one-on-one experiences withinnovative winemakers and celebrity chefs from around the world  
Sun WineFest 2011 presented by Lexus will have an exclusive lineup of special events available to wine and food enthusiasts looking to enhance their weekend. Elite Cru Tasting, Celebrity Chef Dine Around, Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting and Bubble & Bon Bons events will provide guests with unique opportunities to learn about their favorite food and wine from world-renowned experts.
Celebrity Chef Dine Around
On Saturday evening, January 29th, Sun WineFest 2011’s Celebrity Chef Dine Around will feature some of the most prominent names in the industry. Food and wine enthusiasts will be served signature dishes by celebrity chefs, expertly paired with wines from the nation’s top winemakers from 7:30pm to 11:00pm in the Uncas Ballroom. The evening also includes a champagne reception presented by Möet & Chandon and a silent auction to benefit the Connecticut Sports Foundation.
Signature dishes will be served by a variety of celebrity chefs and winemakers themselves including Bobby Flay, Ben Ford, Todd English, Jasper White, Govind Armstrong, Donatella Arpaia, Jimmy Burke, Lorenzo Canella, Nicoletta Canella, Kim Canteenwalla, Luca De Ferrari, Betty Fraser, Michael Ginor, Dorie Greenspan, Ihsan Gurdal, Andy Husbands, Robert Irvine, Michael Martini, Peter Mondavi Jr., Frederick Booker Noe III, Christina Pirello, Douglas Rodriguez, Francesco Russo, Chris Schlesinger, Jacques Torres and Marcela Valladolid.
Tickets for this culinary extravaganza are $175.00 per person.
Elite Cru Tasting
Wine lovers can get up-close-and-personal with some of the “best of the best” vintages from all over the world at the Elite Cru Tasting from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday, January 29th in The Cabaret Theatre. This event, in its second year, will offer select vintages from premium wineries and producers such as Antinori, Rubicon Estate, Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards, Cliff Lede Vineyards, BOYANCI, Duckhorn, Terrabianca and more. The tasting will also feature oysters and gourmet cheeses and gives guests a chance to talk one-on-one with winemakers for the duration of the affair. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind opportunity are $200.00 per person which includes admission to the Saturday Grand Tasting and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Connecticut Sports Foundation.
Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting
Sun WineFest introduces a new event to its all-star lineup of tastings with the Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting presented by Beam Global Spirits & Wine from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at Leffingwells` Martini Bar on Friday, January 28th. The 3-hour tasting will give inquiring minds an opportunity to meet and enjoy the insight of Frederick “Fred” Booker Noe III, the great grandson of Jim Beam and a seventh generation distiller. Notable fine bourbon distilleries will also be on hand including Maker’s Mark, Booker’s, Knob Creek and Jim Beam. Dedicated space will also be provided for a premium cigar sampling hosted by AVO Cigars—Cigars in Perfect Harmony.   AVO Cigars bear the name of famed pianist and legendary cigar connoisseur Avo Uvezian.  After a successful career as a jazz pianist Avo Uvezian toured the Caribbean in search of the finest tobaccos and the best factory for making his cigars.
In 1982 he found both in the Dominican Republic. Today AVO Cigars are enjoyed by aficionados all over the world and Avo’s lifelong quest for perfect harmony has brought him great success in not one, but two careers – music and premium cigars. Tickets are $75.00 per person and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Connecticut Sports Foundation.
Bubbles & Bon Bons
Topping off Sun WineFest’s blockbuster weekend is the new Bubbles & Bon Bons event in The Cabaret Theatre from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Sunday, January 30th.
Guests will mingle with Jacques Torres, one of the most highly regarded pastry chefs and chocolatiers in the world, and Mohegan Sun Executive Pastry Chef Lynn Mansel, the Guinness World Record Holder for the Largest Wedding Cake. Food Network Chef Robert Irvine will also be in attendance for the evening which will give foodies an opportunity to sample high-end champagnes, chocolates and gourmet cheeses in an intimate setting. Tickets for this sumptuous event are $95.00 per person.   
The weekend’s main event, the Grand Tasting takes place from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Saturday, January 29th and Sunday, January 30th in the Convention Center at Mohegan Sun. Over 1,000 wines, spirits and beers will be on-hand for tasting as well as sample dishes from some of the area’s finest restaurants. There will be a nominal charge for the sampling of signature dishes – a portion of the proceeds benefits Channel 3 Kids Camp. Tickets for this weekend attraction are $70.00 for a one-day pass and $110.00 for a weekend pass.
Tickets for the Grand Tasting, Elite Cru Tasting, Celebrity Chef Dine Around, Whiskey & Bourbon Tasting and Bubbles & Bon Bons may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, sunwinefest.com, over the phone at 1.800.745.3000, or in-person at Mohegan Sun’s Box Office. 
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.
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 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.