Pig Pickin’ Wine-Country Style

You try not being a hog at chef Charlie Palmer’s annual “Pigs & Pinot”

Tim Fish

Mar 23, 2016

Pig and Pinot Noir are two of the best things in life. Star chef Charlie Palmer feels the same way, so strongly in fact that he created his own event devoted to them. "Pigs & Pinot" marked its 11th year this past weekend at Hotel Healdsburg and Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen.

I went grazing this past Friday night at "Taste of Pigs & Pinot," a walk-around shindig where nearly 60 wineries poured tastes and more than a dozen restaurants offered pork-infused small plates, including local favorites like Spoonbar, Diavola and Jimtown Store. Guest chefs also pitched in during the weekend, including chef Matt Lambert of the Musket Room in New York and chef Michael Mina.

This was not a Jenny Craig–sanctioned event, to say the least. There were bacon and cheddar biscuits with roasted pork butt and Sriracha, barbecue pork sliders and savory pork tarts. Dustin Valette, who was executive chef of Dry Creek Kitchen before opening his own Healdsburg restaurant last year, created a "corn dog" with a heart of rich and smoky pork belly.

My favorite was Barndiva's "quevos rancheros," red wine–braised pork loin with pico de gallo and topped with a fried quail egg. I could have parked in front of that table all night.

Most of the Pinot producers were from California. Black Kite poured its graceful Anderson Valley Redwoods' Edge 2013, Freeman offered a stellar Russian River Valley Gloria 2013, while I savored the plush and rich Cirq Estate Russian River Valley Treehouse. Craggy Range represented New Zealand's up-and-coming Pinot industry, and Oregon had a small contingent. The Four Graces Willamette Valley 2013 was lovely, floral and sleek, while Chapter 24 Willamette Valley Fire + Flood The Flood 2013 was delicately complex.

Palmer has more than good food and wine in mind when it's all done. "Pigs & Pinot" over the years has raised more than $500,000 for good causes like Healdsburg schools, Sonoma State University's wine business program, Share our Strength and the Culinary Institute of America.

As a Hoosier who grew up in hog country, I can't say I've ever been to a pig pickin' quite like "Pigs & Pinot."