The beautiful Hotel Healdsburg where the Pigs & Pinot Event takes place.

Arriving to a Rose welcome. Cheers to my first Pigs & Pinot and all the fun I am about to have!

Me and Event Host Chef Charlie Palmer. I’ve met Chef Charlie a few times at similar events, and I’m always impressed by how relaxed he is and how he always makes time to chat and take photos with guests. Not every Chef is like that, so I really appreciate how approachable and engaging he is!

The Dry Creek Kitchen Team and their Niman Ranch Pork French Dip

Sous Chef Josh, of SingleThread Farm Restaurant Inn, with Michael Lai. They served an amazing Malted Potato with Kujo Negi, Pork Jowl and Buddha hand Kosho vinaigrette. I had just dined at SingleThread the night before this event, and was telling Josh the potato dish was one of my favorite dishes before realizing they were serving something similar tonight. I was in heaven enjoying two to three of these!

Hanging out with some winemaking pals, Randy of Handley Cellars (read more about Handley Cellars here) and Winemakers Bob Cabral & Ryan Prichard of Three Sticks Wines.

The delicious Three Sticks Pinot Noir. This was so popular that by the end of the evening there wasn’t any left but luckily I enjoyed some early when I first arrived.

Chef Levi Mezickof Charlie Palmer’s Harvest Table Napa Restaurant. Read more about Harvest Table Restaurant here.

The lovely Williams Selyem Pinot Noir. This was my first time trying this wine and I loved it!

Chef Elizabeth Falkner. She’s awesome I’ve met her at various other Food & Wine events and she’s super talented, friendly and approachable.

Enjoying the Flanagan Pinot Noir

The Valette team led by Chef & Owner Dustin Valette. This is an amazing restaurant in Healdsburg I adore, read more about Valette Restaurant here.

It would not be a Pinot Noir event without Kosta Browne. This wine was the runner up from the Pinot Cup blind tasting, with the winning winery being TR Elliot. Congrats to TR Elliot!!  This Kosta Browne Wine is an incredible Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir which I just enjoyed at a Kosta Browne World of Pinot Noir luncheon a few weeks ago, read more about that here. Kosta Browne is always one of my favorite wines because of their full body fruit forward characteristics and variety of vineyard sources creating some very unique lovely wines. Read more about my behind the scenes tour of the Kosta Browne Winery here.

The cutest Fiji Waters I have ever seen. I loved how they had the straw cut out making it super easy to stay hydrated during this evening of incredible eats, and delicious Pinot Noir Wines.

The lovely Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir I enjoyed.

These ribs were divine. Remember, I’m a midwest girl so love eating BBQ.

Another delicious Pinot Noir I enjoyed from Cirq.

The lovely Chef Nancy Silverton

These are some of my favorite chocolates which I first enjoyed at Chef Charlie Palmer’s Project Zin Event. Read more about Project Zin here. 

The fun presentation from the team at The Shed. Read more about The Shed here.

The yummy Cowgirl Creamery eats.

Chef Bryan Voltaggio. This Taco was my favorite dish of the evening.

The Chef Team from Spoon Bar. There dish was incredible I had a few servings.

Another wine I really loved from Trombetta. No surprise it’s grapes are sourced from Gap’s Crown a vineyard making some of the most delicious Pinot Noir Wines in the Sonoma Coast.

This polenta was delicious. Such a great balance with the pork and very flavorful.

Chef David Burke visiting from New York. I met Chef David years ago when he opened David Burke in the Bloomingdale’s 59th Street Store (where I was working in the Buying Office) and he’s great. So fun reconnecting almost ten years later in Sonoma!

The delicious Dim Sum from Chalkboard. This was so tasty and I loved that no one else did a dish similar to this.

Me and Winemaker Ryan Prichard of Three Sticks Wines

Thanks to Chef Charlie Palmer and the Pigs & Pinot team for hosting me at this incredible event. It is for sure one of the best food and wine events of the year. I look forward to seeing you in 2018.