Pigs & Pinot 2026 | Tickets

19th Annual Pigs & Pinot

On Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, Chef Charlie Palmer will host the 19th Annual Pigs & Pinot, marking an exciting new chapter as the event moves to Appellation Healdsburg. Guests will enjoy the creations of over 60 wineries and 20 acclaimed chefs, highlighted by the first-ever father-and-son chef collaboration and an all-female roster of featured Gala winemakers. As always, proceeds benefit the Palmer Family Education Foundation, funding scholarships for the next generation of hospitality professionals and supporting programs in the culinary arts, wine, music, and beyond.

Participating Chefs

Reed Palmer (Chef de Cuisine), Folia Bar & Kitchen, Charlie Palmer (Host Chef), Charlie Palmer Collective, E.J. Lagasse (Chef, Co-Owner at Emeril’s, Vice President), The Emeril Group, Emeril Lagasse (Chef, Restaurateur and Founder), The Emeril Group, Byron Lazaroff-Puck (President of Fine Dining), Spago, CUT, Chinois, Wolfgang Puck (CEO), Wolfgang Puck Group, Spago, CUT, Chinois, Cédric Vongerichten (Executive Chef and Owner), CVRG, Wayan, Ma•dé, Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Chef and Restaurateur), Jean-Georges Restaurants

Gala Guest Wineries

Eva Dehlinger (Partner & General Manager), Dehlinger Winery, Perri Haughwout (Winemaker & Winegrower), Perri Jaye Vineyards, Ashley Herzberg (Winemaker), Innumero Wines, Heidi von der Mehden (Winemaker), Merry Edwards Winery

Taste of Pigs and Pinot

Friday evening’s festival kickoff is the lively Taste of Pigs & Pinot where guests sample 60 highly-acclaimed Pinot Noir wines competing in the Pinot Cup competition, both from Sonoma County and around the world. Two Rosé wines will be offered in addition to the lineup of 60 Pinot Noirs treating guests to a “white wine” twist on Pinot Noir. Tastings are served alongside a variety of pork dishes, including homemade sausages, charcuterie, grilled pork, patés, and other special creations from Chef Palmer, Appellation Healdsburg, Dry Creek Kitchen, guest celebrity chefs, and local Sonoma County restaurants including Diavola Pizzeria, SingleThread, and The Matheson.

Pinot Cup

The Pinot Cup is our annual wine competition where 60 hand-picked Pinot Noirs compete in a blind-tasting competition hoping to be named “the best of the best” by a renowned judging panel. The winner and runner-up will be revealed at Friday’s Taste of Pigs & Pinot event.

Seminars

On Saturday, Pigs & Pinot participants can enjoy two exclusive experiences. Table Talk offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the minds behind the menus, with our celebrated Gala chefs joining host Mario Cantone for a candid Q&A while guests savor a curated tasting of small bites prepared by each chef. In the Ultimate Pinot Smackdown, four Master Sommeliers go head-to-head in a fast-paced, March Madness–style showdown, each pouring four of their favorite Pinots from around the world as guests pitch in to vote for the audience crown.

The Gala Dinner

Saturday evening’s Pigs & Pinot Gala takes place at Appellation Healdsburg, featuring a sumptuous five-course dinner with signature creations from Charlie Palmer and Reed Palmer, and this year’s Gala chefs, including E.J. Lagasse, Emeril Lagasse, Byron Lazaroff-Puck, Wolfgang Puck, Cédric Vongerichten, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, paired with limited-production Pinot Noirs from celebrated winemakers including Eva Dehlinger, Perri Haughwout, Ashley Herzberg, and Heidi von der Mehden.

After dinner, guests can continue the celebration with an exclusive after-hours soirée, enjoying signature cocktails, curated sweet bites, and pours from the Pinot Cup and Ultimate Pinot Smackdown winners, while mingling with the chefs and winemakers behind the weekend’s most memorable moments. Open to Gala guests.

Also check out other Food & Drink events in Healdsburg, Contests in Healdsburg, Workshops in Healdsburg.