Photo by Erin Poole for Average Socialite
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Deets: The Fine Wine Series presents the official Los Angeles debut of their Wine and R&B rooftop series "High Notes" - in partnership with Taylor Port.
Fine Wine Series presents High Notes - Los Angeles - will include specialty crafted wine cocktails, the city's best DJs including Ruff (@itsjustruff), Yannick (@yannick.jones), Earry Hall (@earryhall), and DJ Canal (@xcanalx) playing both new and nostalgic R&B hits, and a community of music and wine lovers.
The day-time event will highlight a few new, free*, cocktails from Taylor Port to enjoy on any summer rooftop:
Taylor Port’s “Sip & Sing” - Taylor Port Black, Ginger Beer and Liqueur (recipe measurements available as needed; all ticketed guests may enjoy free cocktails while supplies last.)
We got to sit down with for an exclusive interview with Chiedozie “Dozie” Osondu, Head of Creative and Business Strategy of Fine Wine Series to get the inside scoop on this event!
Average Socialite: What sparks your creativity when pairing wine and music for the Fine Wine Series' High Nights events? How much wine and music can inspire each other in this process?
Dozie: Wine and music go hand in hand, specifically RnB music. The thought of wine gives this elevated, refined, smooth feeling and to compliment that we can turn on music. Wine is used for a lot of things such as celebration, commodore, relaxation, exploration, etc. Wine can take you on a journey based on the type of wine you're sipping, and music has the same effect based on the song you decide to play. In the same way, certain wines are used for celebration the same can be said about certain songs. Specifically with the Fine Wine Series, our goal is to bring together our community to celebrate excellence, so what better way to do so besides Wine and Music?
AS: Can you share a bit of the process of selecting the wines and cocktails for this event?
Dozie: The selection process for the wine and cocktails used for the event typically starts based on the time of the year, the location of the event, and whether we decide to partner with a specific wine brand. Once we've landed on the wine selection we create specialty wine cocktails using some of our guest's favorite recipes such as a "spritzer", "old fashioned", "French 75", "margarita", etc.
AS: What do you hope guests will take away from High Notes in LA? Are there moments or elements that you are particularly excited about?
Dozie: One thing we keep constantly hearing from our friends out in LA is "LA needs something different they would love what you'll do". So I hope we're able to come and deliver the experience that they're looking for out there. My favorite moments at the event are the photo-op installations, delicious cocktails, and the moment the wine sets in and the perfect song comes on.
AS: The idea of "pairing" comes through on several levels, with pairing inspired drinks with great music, and pairing the event with the BET Awards Weekend. Can you give some insight into how this event came together with all of these great elements?
Dozie: The idea of pairing is having one thing synergistically complement the other. With our first debut in Los Angeles, we knew we wanted it to be special. We decided to focus on a popular weekend that would complement the event we'd curate. The hard part was finding the venue space that essentially would allow us to take the elevated experience we've produced in the past and bring it to the LA Market. Luckily we were able to find the Savanna rooftop which is such a beautiful setting for the experience. We knew once we had the location, the vibe had to match so we looked into DJs that could deliver an experience from playing R&B that could transport guests.
AS: Can you share any memorable reactions or moments from past events that have fueled your passion for continuing this series?
Dozie: Definitely, one of the most fulfilling moments at a past event was at our debut in Washington, DC April of this year. A guest noticed me with my Fine Wine branded hat and thanked us for the experience. They said they'd been in DC for a while, but haven't been able to find elevated cultural events where they can have fun and feel comfortable with like-minded people around them. That moment stood out to me because it showed me how important it is for us to create these spaces for people to come together and socialize in an elevated way.
AS: Finally, what wine or cocktail are you most excited to try?
Dozie: One of my favorite specialty wine cocktails is the R&B Lemonade which includes a port wine from our sponsor Taylor Port. It's a combination of one of my favorite beverages, lemonade, and the port wine that's both delicious and refreshing.
About Fine Wine Series
Fine Wine Series, the national, Black-owned, experiential event series company established in 2015 in New York City has amassed experience in business administration, hospitality, and marketing. The Fine Wine Series presents live events targeted to ages 25-45 to celebrate excellence, a refined lifestyle, and extraordinary moments that offer a unique choice for those seeking cultural enrichment.
Hint for the Average Socialite: Buy tickets now! Dress code: Chic/Elegant yet comfortable attire.
What’s Trending: @finewineseries
