Charleston and Wine: A Wine Aficionado’s Guide

The much-hyped dining scene and charms of Charleston are not lost on its millions of yearly visitors or tourists. Thus, making South Carolina city one of the top tourist destinations in the country.

Surprisingly, it has become one of the best wine cities in America, too. New, unconventional wine-savvy restaurants such as The Ordinary and Charleston Grill have enticed and attracted a huge pool of talent. Also, wine distributors and importers have made the city a top priority.

Because Charleston is a well-known and globally recognized as a culinary destination, it’s reasonable that the residents and tourists would want to upgrade the beverages. Breweries and cocktail bars undoubtedly paved the way, and today, the wine scene is booming and thriving.

Here’s a quick guide to Charleston for all the wine lovers out there. So, take a read!

Pioneering Wine Bars and Shops

In recent years, there has been an increased number of wine bars and shops in Charleston. After decades of sipping creative cocktails and huffing craft beers, locals have observed that the city is offering more wines by the glass.

Well, it’s because of the pioneering wine bars and shops. The following are some of the wine shops and wine bars that made wine a staple in the city.

Stems & Skins

A lot of people merited this wine bar as the root of the current wine scene of the city when it launched in 2016. Matt Tunstall and Justin Croxall, the owners, put emphasis on natural wine, with a cocktail program and full bar, too.

Via Coravin, lots of premium pours are obtainable by the glass, aside from the list of at least 200 wine labels. Additionally, the food menu includes a long list of tinned seafood.

Wine & Company

Licensed retail establishments are allowed to offer on-site alcohol consumption in South Carolina. As such, Wine & Company acts as a wine bar and shop. The wine bottles offered here can be bought at a ten-dollar discount or enjoyed at the large bar. If you don’t want a bottle, Wine & Company offers 36 glass pours, together with charcuterie plates and creative cheese.

Edmund’s Oast Exchange

The Exchange is a well-known restaurant and is a wholesale division of Edmund’s Oast. Sarah O’Kelley, the wine director/general manager of the restaurant, stores lots of selections. Every Wednesday, Edmund’s Oast Exchange becomes a wine bar that offers blind flights of three wines at $15.

Graft Wine Shop

Another combo retail wine bar/shop is the Graft Wine Shop. The shop offers wine bottles priced at a nominal corkage fee when enjoyed in-house and retail. Additionally, the relaxing vibe of the Graft Wine Shop makes it an excellent place to sip a glass of wine that can be difficult to find in other places.

Best Restaurants With Excellent Wine List

As we’ve mentioned, Charleston is known as a culinary destination. The city is recognized for its passionate mix of offerings. And today, many restaurant’s wine list offers interesting and unique varietals that match up the dishes they serve.

The following are some of the best establishments with superb wine lists:

Renzo

One of the hottest places in the city is Renzo, which is a casual wood-fired pizza joint. The restaurant highlights an all-natural wine list, made by Nayda Freire, co-owner. Although the plates of pasta and pizzas are excellent, do not skip the rest of the menu.

Renzo features dishes like roasted radishes and swordfish Milanese. What’s more, before the evening time, the restaurant offers a Detroit-style pizza as well as a glass of wine.

Be sure to ask if there are off-menu bottles or by the glass wines because Renzo usually acquires small quantities of premium wines that are not on the list, which you can often see on websites like https://www.sokolin.com.

Tradd’s

This place has been rebuilt as an airy, bright contemporary American restaurant with a cozy Champagne bar and a buzzy lounge. Tradd’s serve dishes such as roast ducks and halibut with carrot flan.

Also, caviar is offered, which is a total no-brainer with Champagne. The restaurant offers at least 30 by the glass pours that include reserve selections and a couple of sparkling wines.

Josephine Wine Bar

This space has the bright atmosphere of a wine bar, yet with an earnest gastronomic appeal. The restaurant’s chef made comfort food more elegant that perfectly complements the wine list. Additionally, the wine list is dominated by French wines.

Takeaway

Charleston is categorized as a small city. However, the city’s food scene is a mighty force on the nation, making South Carolina a must-visit destination. But over the years, Charleston has garnered another recognition not because of the food but because of the wine. The city is among the list of best wine cities in America. If you’re heading over Charleston, wine bars, shops, and restaurants mentioned in this post could help you navigate your way.

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