So many shades of Pink to behold on Sunday from the clothes we wore to the Rosé in our glasses, a sense of unabashed delight from all that lush color drifted through the gardens, impossible to ignore. Why would you? Flowing dresses, whimsical hats, pink suits, pink shorts, long scarves in garden hues of green and coral. And, continually, whenever we paused, a new blush shaded liquid in our glasses to sip. Pink, it turns out, isn’t just a color, it’s a state of mind, and a rather jolly one at that. We were only together for a few hours, but an impromptu community came together, as it does every year. We smile and laugh (a lot), sip, strut, sip some more. Move from garden to garden. Dance a little. Find a soft place below a hedge or near the fountain to sit and talk.
Yes, I know, community is an ephemeral thing, a word bandied about but slippery to actually define. It comes to us in various guises throughout life… school committees, gyms, commitments to the food pantry, farm and vintner associations, social action groups around issues we feel passionate about. Our communities change, and we have more than one. The way I see it, so long as you are building as you go, piece by piece, on a foundation of good will, you will always have community around you. Honor, support, enjoy. Take them in any order, but all of a piece please, if it’s going to stay real. Good thing we live in wine country where community in all its forms usually comes with big helpings of great food, wine, kind people.
A huge shout out to the wonderful wine purveyors who turned out for Pink ‘26, Your Rosés were a delight! Heartfelt thanks to Emily Carlson, a true “sommelier for the people,” who curated this incredible group with her usual intelligence and panache.
Heading into a long summer of dinner services in Studio Barndiva, alongside weddings and parties here at the Barn, hands down The Pink Party is our favorite way to kick off the season.
@abovethebaywine; @amistavineyards; @auteurwines; @benoviawinery; @bobcabralwines; @brashleyvineyards; @breathlesswines; @brickandmortarwines; @bruliamwines; @county_line_vineyards; @cruesswine; @crusewineco; @daverowines; @handleycellars; @hirschvineyards; @idlewildwines; @kokomowinery; @limericklanecellars; @longboardwine; @marinelayerwines; @marthastoumen; @mascarinwines; @medlockames; @merriamvineyards; @moraestatewines; @moretbrealynnwines; @onehopewinery; @overshinewineco; @portalupiwine; @portercreekvineyards; @prestonfarmandwinery; @drinkseppi; @stringer_cellars
The wineries are looking forward to hearing from you-! DM them or better yet, pay a visit this summer.
Sincere thanks to the wineries for their contributions of Rosé for the Raffle. Corazón Healdsburg is a vital resource offering a wide range of services to an essential community - one that make our lives possible in Wine Country.
Below: Diana Avila speaking eloquently for Corazón; Barndiva’s Event Director Susan Bischoff & Wine Director Emily Carlson, who organized the raffle.
To all who attended Barndiva’s Pink Party this year, thank you for coming! It started out looking like another mouse-gray day. You came, and so did the sun. Pink on.
Throw a pebble in our part of the world and you are bound to hit a ‘Wine Event’ - group tastings, charity fetés, winemaker dinners, multi-day Food & Wine events, we host them in droves here in Sonoma County. Barndiva collaborative wine events have historically focused on smaller, singular local wineries, with a sprinkling from up North - Anderson Valley is where we have farmed for four decades. But times change. When Barndiva started hosting our Fêtes many of the winemakers we invited, whose wine we served in the restaurant did not have a tasting room open to the public. Now many do, or have opened their vineyards for personalized farm experiences. Knowing what a time and product commitment it can be, especially considering they will go on pouring through summer, We are so appreciative they choose to participate at Pink every year.
So how do we choose who to invite? It’s pretty simple. We are passionate about wine and look for winemakers that are willing to share their passion, tell us how their grapes are grown, how they transform them into wines that speak to the remarkable terroirs surrounding us. The wine game we devised for Sunday - a Rosé Treasure Hunt - was something to play as you tasted - a light and easy way to ask questions and hear stories that might just better connect you to what’s in the glass. Take something a little extra away from the day.
The Rosé Treasure Hunt Questions (half cases riding on the answers):
Did you discover the talents of a women winemaker today?
A third or fourth generation winemaking family?
A biodynamic vineyard?
A new Rosé varietal?
An interesting way to make Rosé?
Promoting enological literacy wasn’t on our minds so much as ignition: What did you love about a Rosé you tasted today? What was the story behind that vineyard, the winemaker, the process you will remember?
A Rosé Treasure Hunt Winner
Prizes were given for best dressed - what took us so long to figure that out?
So… a great day celebrating the delicious diversity of Rosé, supporting Corazón, enjoying seasonal bites and summer flowers, moving to the music. We hope that everyone who attended enjoyed tasting, heard some interesting stories, made some delightful discoveries. Whether you make it, sell it, or drink it, we are all playing the wine game to some extent. Behooves us to do it well.
If you see yourself in any of these images and would like a copy of the Chad Surmick photo, just drop us a line and we’ll be happy to supply you with one.
What we served: Mushroom al pastor; Mini Tostadas w/ charred Tomatillo Salsa; Lemongrass Shrimp Cakes w/ Scallion-Lime salad; Studio Barndiva Crispy Chicken w/Green Chermoula, Tahini & Garlic Dressing; Lamb Sliders w/ fresh mint, yogurt, roasted Poblano, Brioche Roll; Rosé Pâte de Fruits.
Credits: Photography Chad Surmick, @chadsurmick; floral arrangements Misha Vega, @Philo.Floral.Flowers.
Eat The View CC all rights reserved, Jil Hales, Barndiva.