Thousands Gather for Annual Mohegan Sun WineFest

By Savannah Mul

The 13th Annual Sun WineFest was held the weekend of January 29, 2016. The annual event hosted 9,000 attendees, plus exhibitors and vendors. Guests were able to sample wine, beer and specialty spirits, along with culinary creations prepared by regional restaurants.

The event kicked off with a Jim Beam Bourbon Tasting on Friday Night. The Grand Tastings featured wines from around the world and the Elite Cru tasting sessions offered guests “the best of the best.” An upstairs beer fest gave visitors still more sampling opportunities. Celebrity chefs, such as Kevin Des Chenes, Betty Fraser, and many more performed cooking demonstrations throughout the Saturday and Sunday Grand Tasting events. After the Saturday Grand Tasting, the festival hosted a Celebrity Chef Dine Around with wine pairings featuring food prepared by Rocco DiSpirito, Todd English, Michele Ragussis, Manouschka Guerrier, Sara Laulton and Jasper White. The Mohegan Sun rolled out a Sun WineFest app for Android and iPhone users this year, allowing guests to navigate the many event aspects.

The official charity of the Sun WineFest is the Channel 3 Kids Camp. A portion of all ticket sales, as well as a percentage of money earned by the restaurants in the Grand Tasting, benefited the organization, The camp’s mission is to provide year-round recreational and educational opportunities to children from Connecticut and throughout New England. It serves 3,000 children each year through a variety of programs.

: The 13th Annual Sun WineFest was held the weekend of January 29, 2016

: Ryan Kristafer and Laurie Foster served as the event’s emcees during the Saturday Grand Tasting. Celebrity Chef William Koval prepares a spiced duck breast during a demonstration.

: Oliver Mackinnon, Owner, Highland Imports; Jamie Clemente, Sales Manager, Highland Imports and Bruno Recouvreur, Sales Representative, Highland Imports.

: All of Brescome Barton: Steve Casey, Ron Archambault, Lauren O’Reilly, Brian Federman and Sterling Vaughn.

: Donna Taylor representing Worldwide Wines with Santa Rita Casa Real Alto.

: Teresa Drew, State Manager, Delicato Family Vineyards with guest.

: Donna Schweder, Sales Representative, Hartley & Parker.

: Front row: Douglass MacLeod, NY/CT/VT Regional Sales Manager, Mionetto USA; Marcia Passavant, Senior Brand Manager, Slocum & Sons; Sherrie Aceto-Glynn, Sales Information Director, Slocum & Sons; Back row: Will Trupp, David Mensch and Richard Ramaya, all Sale Representatives, Slocum & Sons.

: Bruno Ceniccola, Owner, Piu Facile Imports.

: David McNulty, Account Manager, Latitude Beverage Company.

: Stefano Cozza of Anno Domini Vineyards and Tom Bac Co with Alex Sirico and Matt Sirico of CW Distributors of New York.

: Anthony Mannuccia, Off-Premise Retail Account Specialist, Pernod Ricard; Paul Fede, Global Wine Ambassador, Pernod Ricard.

: Bartenders Anthony DeSerio and Ryan Tunnacliffe of Sticks & Stones Dipping Grille creating one the venue’s molecular cocktails using liquid nitrogen.

: Paul Mazurek, National and Regional Chain Account Manager On-Premise, Connecticut Distributors, Inc. with Rodney Strong Reserve.

: Emily Kuhn and Amanda Martin, Tasting Room Staff, Johnathan Edwards Winery.

: Autumn Allinson representing Bogle Vineyards.

: Dylan McCullough and Heather Kudlach of Pernod Ricard.

: George “Hutch” Hutchinson, Northeast Venture Sales Manager, Pernod Ricard.

: Kurt Graff, District Sales Manager, Allan S. Goodman.

: Co-Owners Doug Bowie and Jim Danis, Waypoint Spirits.

: Jackie Blau, Market Manager, Pernod Ricard and Dimitrios Zahariadis, United States Bartenders Guild Connecticut (USBG CT) Chapter President and Owner of Highland Brass Co., mixing cocktails using Absolut Elyx.