The Sun Winefest

It’s the weekend foodies and connoisseurs dream about all year, so it’s no surprise that tickets are already selling out for January 2013’s Sun Winefest. We had the good fortune to take a short trip up to Connecticut to attend this year’s extravaganza. Not only did we taste some of the world’s premier wine and gourmet cuisine by celebrity chefs, but we did it all beside the backdrop of endless entertainment at the Mohegan Sun.

 

Friday night’s Beam Bourbon Tasting kicked off the weekend, where guests sipped Maker’s Mark, Booker’s, Knob Creek, Jim Beam and more of the finest spirits in the business. Under the world’s largest indoor planetarium dome at Leffingwells Martini Bar, Bernie Lubbers, Whiskey Professor for Beam and author of Bourbon Whiskey Our Native Spirit, mingled with guests alongside delectable hors d’oeuvres and cigars.

The next morning, Sun Winefest’s Grand Tasting opened its doors to the general public and introduced their selection of over 1,000 brands of the best beer, wine, and spirits in the world. Foodies could sample signature dishes from the Northeast’s premier restaurants. But the most exciting part of Saturday’s main event was the impressive lineup of celebrity chefs including Bobby Flay, Robert Irvine, the Forgiones, Mary Ann Esposito, and Todd English, who gave cooking demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

Once guests were sufficiently entertained, it was time for them to start participating in the action. Sixteen teams of two competed in the Winefest Grape Stomp, where winners won $1,500 for getting the most juice out of a measured amount of grapes.

We spent our Saturday on MacMurray Ranch, where Kate MacMurray (daughter of actor Fred MacMurray) hosted a seminar about growing up on the ranch. I was able to taste the most wonderful Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and a Winemaker’s Block Pinor Noir, and even meet Kate herself.

Later, we headed to the Elite Cru Tasting at the Cabaret Theater for the “best-of-the-best” vintage wines in the world. In an intimate, up-close-and-personal event, we met the winemakers and learned about the principles behind each creation, all while enjoying the raw bar which included oysters, shrimp, and specialty cheeses.

Saturday night meant the Celebrity Chef Dine Around in the Uncas Ballroom, where we were treated to cutting-edge cuisine and fine wine beside some of the most well-respected chefs and winemakers in the world. Featuring specialized pairings of food and drink, the Dine Around not only allows guests the chance to taste a truly personalized menu, but also the opportunity to rub elbows with stars. Mary Ann Espositos’ stuffed turkey roll was the best I ever tasted, and Jacques Torres’ signature chocolates were absolutely beautiful- to taste and to look at. The wines of Heck Estates, Francis Coppola, Charles Krug, and Grigh Hills as the best of the evening. Donatella Arpaia’s meatballs make you proud to be Italian!

 

Sunday’s main stage event featured presentations by Daisy Martinez, Govind Armstrong, Betty Fraser, Douglas Rodriguez, Donatella Arpaia, and finished with the 8^th Annual Mohegan Sun Oyster Open Competition. Professional shuckers competed for bragging rights in a high-stakes event! Also on Sunday was Aurelie Botton’s “Lapostolle- Organic and Biodynamic Winemaking in Chile” seminar, where guests tasted four of the Lapostolle wines and learned about the brand’s unique production philosophy.

 

Back in the Cabaret Theater, we spent our final evening at the Mohegan Sun enjoying “Bubbles and Bon Bons,” where we were treated to decadent desserts, luxurious champagne, and in true Sun Winefest fashion, a mingling of celebrity chefs. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

So if you’re one of the millions of Food Network addicts and appreciate fine cuisine, consider the Sun Winefest as your midwinter escape. You never know who you’ll run into.