Chef Charlie Palmer’s 17th annual weekend celebrating the mutual appeal and attraction of pinot noir and pork, Pigs & Pinot, played to a full house over the weekend of March 15-16 with lunches, dinners, food and wine tasting and other events.
A cast of “Master Sommeliers, iconic winemakers and celebrity chefs showcased some of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs with perfect pork pairings,” at the Dry Creek Kitchen and neighboring Hotel Healdsburg venues.
The headline that resulted was the selection of three wines in two competitions, for the Pinot Cup and the winner of a Pinot Noir Smackdown. Reed Holland Wines of Anderson Valley was a double winner, for their 2018 “Deep End” pinot; Wayfarer Vineyards of Fort Ross and CHEV of Santa Rita Hills were also picked. (See complete list below.)
Hundreds of people were in joyous attendance at the two-day wine celebration, which included the sort of food and wine competition pioneered by Japan TV’s “Iron Chef” and made popular through several Gordon Ramsey television series.
Two gala diners, one at Charie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and one at Dustin Valette’s The Matheson brought this year’s Pigs & Pinot to a close on Saturday night.
The headline was the selection of a Pinot Cup winner and runner-up, and the winners of the Ultimate Smackdown as judged by Master Sommeliers Keith Goldston, Michael Jordan, Andrea Robinson, and David Yoshida.
Pinot Cup Winner: Read Holland Wines, 2018 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Deep End (Winemaker: Ashley Holland)
Pinot Cup Runner-Up: Wayfarer Vineyards, 2021 Pinot Noir, The Estate, Fort Ross-Seaview
Ultimate Pinot Noir Smackdown
Winner: CHEV by Brown Family Wines, 2021 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills (Winemakers: Jeremiah Timm & Michael Brown).
Runner-up: Read Holland, 2018 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Deep End (Winemaker: Ashley Holland)
Over 60 acclaimed Pinot Noir wines competed in the Pinot Cup competition, both from Sonoma County and elsewhere.
Complete information on Pigs & Pinot, including silent auction, sponsors and beneficiaries, can be found online at pigsandpinot.com.
