The Mohegan Sun 2010 Wine and Food Fest

Alright, I know this is a beer and food blog, but this event can't go unmentioned. I had the privledge to attend the Mohegan Sun Wine and Food Festival at the Mohegan Sun casino this past Saturday, January 30th in Uncasville, CT. Outside of the 1000+ wines available for tasting there was also a fair amount of beer to be had. Breweries including Dogfish Head, Captain Lawrence, and Blue Point among others were pouring some of their offerings.

 Some standouts included the Captain Lawrence Xtra Gold, a Belgian golden strong with a huge dose of American Amarillo hops. The hops are added at the end for a wonderful hoppy aroma, without the clashing bitterness that other Belgian IPAs have. Honestly, I think I may have found my perfect example of a Belgian IPA.

There was also the infamous Randal out at the Dogfish Head table. This time they were pushing the India Brown Ale through coffee beans. What came out on the other side was a creamy, more coffee than beer drink. This is probably the only way I could drink India Brown Ale in the future, mostly because it completely covers up the beer.

Across the room there was the Woodchuck cider company, pouring their newest seasonal cider. One of my companions said that "it smells like spring and tastes like Easter." My wife went further and said it "was like a mix of jellybeans, chocolate, and plastic grass." I agreed, and didn't finish my sample.

The food was was a big part of this festival as well, with offerings from the area's best restaurants. I tried an Angel Roll from Feng, easily one of the better sushi rolls I've ever had. It did have a huge amount of garnish, but under all that was some beautiful tuna.

Even if you aren't a wine aficionado, a wine festival is a great way to become exposed to the world of wine. The ability to taste so many different styles of wine from so many different producers is a rare treat. I think that next year I will be springing for tickets to both days of the festival, instead of just one. With so many wines to try, and so much food to experience, it really can't be crammed into one day. My companions and I stumbled back out into the casino after five hours of tasting bliss, my palate humming with all the wonderful things that I had tried. This will become an annual event for us.