Charleston in South Carolina in the U. S. is a coastal town rich in history and tradition that also has plenty to offer for food and wine aficionados, including several outstanding wine bars.
Built 3 centuries ago, the city of Charleston is one of the best preserved architectural treasures in the U.S. The meticulously restored colonial homes lining its charming streets are a reminder of the city’s long and colorful history. The birthplace of the Charleston dance – made famous by Josephine Baker – the city still has all the charm that it owes to its multi-ethnic European origins.
This posting is an update of: Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorites
The wine bars are in alphabetical order.
Bin 152 Wine Bar
152 King Street
Open until 2:00 am daily.
Bin 152 is a casual wine bar. The décor conveys a relaxed feel. Large paintings by local artists hang on the walls and antique tables and chairs are scattered throughout. The owners are an American husband and French wife.
Bin 152 has a selection of 30 wines by the glass and more than 100 wines by the bottle, a nice blend of Old and New World. Wines by the glass start at $7 and bottles of wine start at $30. In terms of food, Bin 152 has a most interesting assortment of cheese and charcuterie to accompany the wine.
Charleston Grill
224 King Street
Among the top wine lists in town. There is live Jazz every evening.
Charleston Grill is fine dining at its best, situation within the Charleston Place Hotel. The seasonal menu has four categories: Pure, Southern, Cosmopolitan and Lush, but you can mix and match and create the perfect meal.
Charleston Grill also has bar with an excellent wine list with 1300 items, well sorted and with a strong focus on old world wines. Interestingly, the list of dry Rieslings has no German wine, but the list of sweet Rieslings is long and dominated by German producers.
Charlestowne Tobacco & Wine
189 E Bay St (Btw Cumberland St. And Queen St.)
Topher Cassidy: Awesome place. Acacia Pinot Noir is amazing. Great place to have a cigar, a glass of wine, and listen to live acoustic music.
Cypress
167 E. Bay Street
If you want to treat yourself to an upscale culinary experience, put Cypress on your list. The cuisine is eclectic American with a subtle blend of French and Asian. But if you want just a glass of wines, Cypress also has a swanky mezzanine bar upstairs.
When you enter the restaurant you will notice an astonishing three story wine wall to your right. The wine comes from all over the world. There is clearly a focus on well established estates. You find quite a selection of grand cru Bordeaux wines. All in all, about 300 bottles on the wine list.
Both the dining area and the mezzanine bar have a modern, chic vibe.
Edmund’s Oast
549 East Bay Street
Housed in a timber-framed 6,000-square-foot warehouse, it's the kind of brewery-restaurant that has a lot of everything for everyone. There are 40-plus beers on tap. But Edmond’s Oast also has a short, yet most interesting wine list. An interesting place in general. However, people do not come here for the wine but for the beer.
Elliotborough Mini Bar
Percy Street/Bogard Street
Tucked away neighborhood spot, used to be part of Trattoria Lucca.
Fig
232 Meeting Street
Fig – food is good. FIG is an interesting restaurant located in the heart of downtown Charleston, serving seasonally inspired cuisine with a commitment to using local and sustainable foods. The bar is a popular place for appetizers and the wine list is interesting.
Husk
76 Queen St
A lot has been written about Husk. It's all Southern, all the time. At Husk you will eat what is popping out of the ground this minute, and maybe even look at an old classic in a new way. Next to the restaurant is a separate bar.
Husk has a very innovative wine list. The wines are not grouped by regions are by grape varieties, but by terroir type: SLATE - Slate is a dark, plate-like metamorphic rock formed under low pressure. It retains heat and water well. Often gives the wine a “flinty” taste. CLAY. LIMESTONE - Limestone is made primarily from fossilized seashells. It possesses the ability to store water for irrigation, which is essential for wine growth. Its alkaline nature encourages high acidity grapes to flourish. PRIMARY ROCK - Primary Rock is a term used to describe rocks being first formed containing crystalline and no organic remains. These soils usually warm quickly and hold heat well, they allow the vines to dig deep to find nutrients needed for growth and have the best possible drainage. VOLCANIC - Volcanic soils have two types; vent based and lava based. Volcanic influenced soils are found to have some of the most nutrient rich soils for vine growth.
McCrady's
2 Unity Alley
Among the top wine lists in town.
New Southern fine dining fresh from the farm and a gorgeous space that dates from the early 1800’s make McCrady’s one of the best restaurants in town.
McCrady’s also has a very nice bar, which features an amazing wine list, as well as a diverse and delicious bar snack menu. Each day, a chalkboard above the bar will offer several featured snacks.
Muse Restaurant and Wine Bar
82 Society Street
Located off the beaten path on Society Street. A cozy dining area, in addition to a fun bar area.
Robert Moss: With dozens of good selections by the glass, Muse’s wine list is among the most comprehensive in town. Whether you snag an outdoor table in the small courtyard, a cozy seat in one of the small dining rooms, or a stool at the wine bar in the front room, you’re bound to have a pleasant Mediterranean journey.
O’Hara and Flynn
225 Meeting Street
Yelp: This is a great little wine shop/bar located in a busy part of town yet manages to stay low key. The atmosphere here is what every wine shop should strive for. Lite music playing in the background and candles set the mood for a relaxing glass of wine. Service was personable and attentive without being overbearing. We were left to enjoy our meal and wine at a leisurely pace. They offer a great wine list with reasonable prices and nice size pours.
Peninsula Grill at the Planters Inn
112 N. Market St.
Originally built in 1844, the Planters Inn is located in the very heart of Charleston’s famed Historic District. Elegant, stylish while simultaneously refined and relaxed, the Peninsula Grill captures the true essence of Charleston in both ambiance and cuisine. The courtyard and verandas, with their ornate landscaping and fountains, create an urban oasis in which to relax, sip delicious cocktails and taste the generous regional American cuisine of the acclaimed Peninsula Grill.
The wine menu is excellent with a good selection of wines by the glass. There is no separate bar.
Proof
437 King Street
Open until 2 am daily.
Upscale cocktails. Wines by the glass. Craft beers. Plus nibbles like homemade sloppy joes. Proof is an intimate craft cocktail bar with an extensive wines by the glass list and a real good beer list.
Stems & Skins
1070 East Montague Avenue
Open until 2:00 am daily.
A neighborhood bar serving natural wines, classic cocktails and beer from around the world. Stems and Skins' wine list features rotating selections curated by former Husk Sommelier Matt Tunstall and with plenty of red, white, and sparkling as well as ciders, sherries, and even vermouths. Matt says many of his ferments come from small batches, so expect to see plenty of variety in what's available night-to-night. Matt and his wife Angie man the bar each night and serve small plates and cheeses.
The Ordinary
544 King Street
Washington Post: Anything but ordinary, this seafood attraction -- a sister to Fig set in a former bank -- impresses diners with its art deco bones and sublime surf. Cue the hush puppies stuffed with diver scallops and served with chowchow tartar sauce.
Schiller’ Favorites
Here is a complete list of Schiller's Favorites:
Europe
Germany
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Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France, 2014
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France
UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary
Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)
USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Austin, Texas, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, USA
Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California
Asia
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Singapore
Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China
Africa
Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar
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