Soul of Sonoma on the Vineyard

by Michelle Morgan | photos Kehinde Howell

The weather, for the fourth sold out Soul of Sonoma on the Vineyard festival was a pleasant 70 degrees. The guests looked fabulous and the wine was spilling. The event was held at the historic Dr. Daniel Fisher House in Edgartown MA, and the curated wine list was accented by the lovely garden grounds. New and old connections were made and winemakers were on hand to pour  and share their intriguing stories.

Soul of Sonoma honored the Divas Uncorked as they celebrated the 25th anniversary of their first wine festival held on Martha’s Vineyard. VIP ticket holders were treated to special wine selections and a conversation about diversity in the wine industry with Alicia Towns Franklin, Executive Director of Wine Unify. The University of Southern California Black Alumni Association closed out their inaugural Black Trojans on the Vineyard week at Soul of Sonoma. A few celebrity sightings included actor and senatorial candidate, Hill Harper who shared a few inspiring words with the audience. Comedian Chris Spencer, and Derrick Jones, also known as D-Nice, made appearances while graciously posing for photos.

Art lovers and collectors perused the lovely paintings from renowned artist Dr. Thomas Elias Lockhart III. The more than 250 guests enjoyed wine and delicious pairings. Wine selections represented a who’s who of viticulture including Brown Estate, Bodkin Wines, Sociologie Wine Collection, Theopolis Vineyards and Kumusha Wines from South Africa. Soul of Sonoma could not host such a epic event without the support of founding co-host Susan Kyles, our amazing volunteers, and this year’s volunteer coordinator, Susan Leigh.