A New Era for Pigs & Pinot

For nearly two decades, Pigs & Pinot has drawn food lovers, wine enthusiasts, and culinary insiders to Healdsburg for one unforgettable weekend each spring. Now, the 19th Annual Pigs & Pinot (March 20–21, 2026) marks a turning point, one that feels less like a change and more like a homecoming. 

After eighteen celebrated years at Hotel Healdsburg and Dry Creek Kitchen, Chef Charlie Palmer's iconic event will debut at our very own Appellation Healdsburg, his new flagship hotel and culinary destination in the heart of Sonoma County wine country. It's a move that feels both monumental and inevitable.

“To bring the event to its new home at Appellation Healdsburg—a place we've built to reflect everything I value in hospitality—feels like a full-circle moment," says Palmer. "It's the perfect setting to honor our roots while celebrating the next generation."

And celebrating the next generation is exactly what this year's lineup does—in ways the event never has before.

A Legendary Lineup: When Icons Cook Alongside Their Sons

The 2026 Pigs & Pinot chef roster reads like a who's who of American culinary royalty. But look closer, and you'll notice something remarkable: every legendary chef on stage will be joined by his son.

Charlie Palmer and Reed Palmer. Wolfgang Puck and Byron Lazaroff-Puck. Emeril Lagasse and E.J. Lagasse. Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Cédric Vongerichten. Dr. Tim Ryan, Chancellor of the Culinary Institute of America, alongside Jackson Ryan, now cooking at The French Laundry.

This isn't a gimmick, it's a statement about legacy, mentorship, and the evolution of craft. These are fathers who built empires and sons who grew up in professional kitchens, absorbing not just technique but philosophy. Watching them collaborate on a five-course dinner, each bringing their own perspective to heritage pork and seasonal ingredients, promises to be a once-in-a-generation experience.

Impeccable Palettes: The Women In Wine

While the kitchen showcases culinary lineage, the wine program makes history of a different kind.

For the first time in Pigs & Pinot's nineteen-year run, the Gala dinner will feature an all-female lineup of winemakers—five women who represent the soul of Sonoma's winemaking excellence.

Eva Dehlinger of Dehlinger Winery carries forward her family's pioneering legacy in the Russian River Valley, where her father planted vines before the appellation even existed. Perri Haughwout of Perri Jaye Vineyards crafts small-lot Pinots with an intimacy that reflects her hands-on approach to every vine. Ashley Herzberg of Innumero Wines—last year's Pinot Cup winner—brings a winemaker's curiosity and precision. Anne Moller-Racke of Blue Farm Wines helped establish some of Sonoma's most revered vineyards. And Heidi von der Mehden carries the torch at Merry Edwards, one of Pinot Noir's most iconic names.

Each bottle tells a story of heritage, terroir, and vision. Together, these women represent a quiet revolution in an industry still finding its balance, and their wines will be the thread that ties each course together at Saturday's Gala.

Make A Weekend Of It

Here's something worth knowing: while Taste of Pigs & Pinot tickets offer a wonderful Friday night tasting of 60 acclaimed Pinot Noirs and heritage pork pairings, the full experience—the intimate seminars, the five-course Gala Dinner, meeting the chefs and winemakers who make it all happen—is only available through weekend packages.

For those looking to immerse themselves without compromise, the Luxe Package ($6,500 for two) offers the ideal balance of access and indulgence:

• Two nights at Appellation Healdsburg
• The Private Pour and Taste of Pigs & Pinot on Friday evening
• Your choice of Saturday seminar—whether it's the lively Ultimate Pinot Smackdown with Master Sommeliers or an intimate Table Talk with the Gala chefs
• The five-course Pigs & Pinot Gala Dinner, where you'll experience those father-son collaborations and all-female winemaker pairings firsthand
• The Final Flight—the after-hours celebration where chefs, winemakers, and guests unwind together over cocktails, late-night bites, and pours from the weekend's winning wines
• VIP check-in to all events

It's also worth noting that proceeds from Pigs & Pinot benefit the Palmer Family Education Foundation, which funds scholarships for aspiring hospitality professionals. Every ticket, every package, every pour contributes to the next generation of chefs, sommeliers, and winemakers finding their path.

It's not just about attending an event. It's about being part of a weekend where the boundaries between guest and gathering dissolve—where you might find yourself in conversation with Wolfgang Puck over a glass of estate Pinot Noir.

A Place Built for This Moment

Appellation Healdsburg is not just a new venue—it's a vision realized. Designed with what Palmer calls "a culinary soul and a sense of place," our hotel weaves together refined comfort, community, and the flavors of Sonoma. From Andys Beeline Rooftop overlooking wine country, to the warmth of Folia Bar & Kitchen (where Reed Palmer leads the kitchen), every detail reflects an understanding that great hospitality is about connection.

March 20–21, 2026

For those who've attended Pigs & Pinot before, this year offers something genuinely new. For those who haven't, there may be no better year to discover what makes this weekend singular.

Legendary chefs. Trailblazing winemakers. A stunning new home. And the kind of weekend that reminds you why Healdsburg remains the heart of California wine country.