Saturday's Grand Tasting is already sold out, though tickets remain for Sunday's event.
The Mohegan Sun WineFest is set for Saturday and Sunday at the Uncasville, Conn., casino.Wine, the magic elixir, will take the spotlight this weekend at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut where lovers of the grape can mingle with celebrity chefs and winemakers and taste wines and gourmet foods galore at the 9th Annual Sun WineFest 2012.
The special weekend for wine enthusiasts is built around two Grand Tastings, which will be held in the Convention Center from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday is already sold out, however, tickets priced at $70 remain for Sunday. Another popular event, the Celebrity Chef Dine Around is also sold out for Saturday night. Main Stage events and celebrity chef demonstrations during the Grand Tasting include demonstrations from Food Network stars Bobby Flay, Iron Chef Marc Forgione, Donatella Arpaia and Robert Irvine, the Mohegan Sun WineFest Grape Stomp, Oyster Open and more.
“I’ve been to many food and wine events and this one is the largest I’ve seen and is always filled with so many great vendors along with a wonderful level of food to sample,” said celebrity chef Betty Fraser.
Seen on the second season of the Bravo hit Top Chef, Fraser is co-owner of the award-winning Hollywood, CA restaurant called Grub. Along with her As You Like It Catering business, she has carved out a niche in the highly competitive Los Angeles restaurant and catering field.
“I’m just starting to develop my palate for nuances in wine. Once you have tasted a wine that has been specially paired to a food, you really can taste the beauty of the two melding together,” she added.
A big fan of comfort food, Fraser can be seen teaching visitors at the WineFest how to make a deep-fried cheeseburger.
“It’s pretty damn fine and is coated with a panko mixture and dried potatoes to give it almost like a French fry flavor,” said Fraser.<
During the Grand Tasting, wine lovers 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 restaurants throughout the region by purchasing tasting portions of signature dishes. Exhibitors showcasing related services such as wine storage, culinary accessories and specialty foods will also be featured.
“For Italians, food and wine together is a no brainer. You never have food without wine, it’s not an afterthought,” said celebrity chef Mary Ann Esposito.
Esposito is the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series, Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito. This year, the series is celebrating its milestone 22nd season, making it the longest-running cooking series in television history. She is also the author of 12 best-selling cookbooks, including her most recent, Ciao Italia Family Classics, with over 200 recipes from three generations of Italian cooks.
“I enjoy being with people and learning about Italian food and good wine,” said Esposito.
While at the WineFest, Esposito will cook up stuffed brigole, one of the many recipes in her new cookbook.
“You would find this being served at Sunday dinner in a typical Italian-American household. It would be the second course, and the sauce it was cooked in would be used for the pasta served before,” she said.
And, for those who want to take their learning a little further, there’s the Sun WineFest Seminar Series. A Grand Tasting ticket is not required to attend the seminars hosted by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Heavy Seas Beer, MacMurray Ranch, Marnier Lapostolle and Migration Duckhorn.
The weekend will end with Bubbles and Bon Bons in the Cabaret Theatre from 6 to 9 p.m. with a sampling of high-end champagnes, chocolates and cheeses. Tickets are $95 per person.