Nestled along the South Carolina coastline, Charleston boasts a rich history, vibrant culture, and a burgeoning food scene that has quickly captured the attention of food enthusiasts and wine lovers alike. With an array of innovative restaurants and a focus on locally sourced ingredients, the city is a must-visit destination for gastronomes and oenophiles seeking a truly unforgettable culinary experience.&nbsp;

Charleston&#39;s food scene has been shaped by its historical roots, blending traditional Southern cooking with influences from African, French, and Caribbean cuisines. From the early plantation days to the present moment, the city&#39;s chefs have expertly crafted meals that pay homage to both its storied past and exciting future.&nbsp;

Over the past decade, Charleston&#39;s food scene has experienced remarkable expansion and innovation. With a new generation of talented chefs pushing the boundaries of culinary creativity, the city has become a hotbed for unique dining experiences that blend tradition with innovation. This burgeoning scene has attracted culinary enthusiasts from around the world, ensuring that Charleston remains at the forefront of the global culinary landscape.&nbsp;

Here are some of our favorites: &nbsp;

<a href="https://eatatfig.com/">FIG</a> - Offering Transcendent Flavors and Impeccable Service:&nbsp;

FIG, an acronym for &quot;Food Is Good,&quot; is a restaurant that has become synonymous with excellence in the Charleston food scene. Known for its transcendent food and inspired and informed waitstaff, FIG has garnered a loyal following of food enthusiasts. The restaurant takes pride in its seasonal food menu, which showcases the freshest ingredients sourced from local farmers and fishermen. Additionally, FIG&#39;s impeccable wine program complements its dishes perfectly, with knowledgeable staff recommending the ideal wine pairings to enhance the dining experience.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.corkrules.com/the-fig/episodes/782">CorkRules Podcast Episode #362</a> &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cheznouschs.com/">Chez Nous</a> - Elevating Culinary Distinction from France and Europe:&nbsp;

For those seeking an elevated dining experience, Chez Nous is an exceptional choice. This hidden gem stands out for its culinary excellence and attention to detail. The menu at Chez Nous changes daily, reflecting the chef&#39;s creative vision and utilizing the finest local and seasonal ingredients. The restaurant&#39;s intimate atmosphere adds to its allure, making every visit a memorable and personal experience. To complement the culinary journey, Chez Nous offers a thoughtfully curated wine list, showcasing a selection of both Old and New World wines that beautifully complement the dishes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://eattheordinary.com/">The Ordinary</a> - A Seafood Haven with Unparalleled Freshness: Charleston&#39;s coastal location lends itself to an abundance of fresh seafood, and no restaurant captures the essence of the city&#39;s seafood scene quite like The Ordinary. With its outstanding reputation, this seafood-focused establishment consistently delivers top-notch dishes that highlight the best flavors of the sea. From oyster sliders to indulgent bisque soup, The Ordinary offers a menu that satisfies seafood lovers&#39; cravings. To enhance the dining experience, the restaurant boasts an impressive wine program that pairs beautifully with the flavors of the sea. From crisp whites to full-bodied reds, the carefully selected wine list elevates the seafood offerings, creating a harmonious tasting journey.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.corkrules.com/the-ordinary/episodes/811">CorkRules Podcast Episode #367&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://leonsoystershop.com/">Leon&#39;s Oyster Shop</a> - Where Oyster&rsquo;s &amp; Fried Chicken and Champagne Collide:&nbsp;

For a unique twist on traditional Southern cuisine, Leon&#39;s Oyster Shop beckons with its delectable combination of seafood and fried chicken. But it&#39;s not just the food that sets this establishment apart. Leon&#39;sis renowned for its exceptional grower champagne list, recognizing that bubbles go hand-in-hand with a variety of flavors. The addition of champagne to the menu adds an element of luxury and celebration to the dining experience, making Leon&#39;s a popular destination for both foodies and oenophiles.&nbsp;

A Must-Visit Destination for Foodies and Oenophiles:&nbsp;

Charleston&#39;s food scene has become a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts and oenophiles seeking a truly remarkable culinary and wine experience. The city&#39;s historical influences, expansion, and innovation have created a thriving environment for culinary creatives to showcase their talents. From FIG&#39;s transcendent flavors and impeccable service to Chez Nous&#39; culinary excellence and attention to detail, Charleston offers a diverse range of dining options that cater to all tastes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nestled along the South Carolina coastline, Charleston boasts a rich history, vibrant culture, and a burgeoning food scene that has quickly captured the attention of food enthusiasts and wine lovers alike. With an array of innovative restaurants and a focus on locally sourced ingredients, the city is a must-visit destination for gastronomes and oenophiles seeking a truly unforgettable culinary experience.

Charleston Food Scene:

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Mandolin Aegean Bistro

Cecilia Bonet, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head south to Florida where they review the wine list at Mandolin Miami

Wine Review of Mandolin Miami

Cecilia Bonet

Mandolin Miami

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Cecilia Bonet, wine educator and certified sommelier.

Hello Cecilia, great to have you back for another great wine list.

&nbsp;CB: Hello Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists because we know from experience, that sometimes wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

MANDOLIN MIAMI

1940s house-turned-bistro with a charming dining garden enlivened by an awning of trees

You are instantly transported to the tavernas along Aegean coastal towns where the Greek Islands meet the Turkish coast

Top Level View

Perhaps for aesthetic reasons, I must say that the wine list is quite difficult to read, and with some small errors. But&hellip; if you are enthusiastic about choosing your wine, don&#39;t give up, you will find incredible things!

It is certainly not the classic wine list with references mostly from California and France. Here you will also see small producers who vinify in only 2.5 hectares, and clear choices of organic, biodynamic and unfiltered wines.

Unique Stuff

Artemis Karamolegos &#39;Pyritis&#39;, Assyrtiko, Santorini - Greece 2019

Artemis Karamolegos&nbsp;is one of the most dynamic wineries on Santorini. They specialize in Assyrtiko and own just over 3 hectares of vineyards, some over 100 years old.

Located in the tiny volcanic Greek island, their vines were cultivated before the Minoan eruption in 1613 BCE, known as the most violent eruption in recent millennia.

The volcanic soils are a scrubby mix of basalt, granite, pumice, obsidian and ash, well suited to amplifying the mineral, marine profile of Assyrtiko.

Pyritis Assyrtiko comes from three vineyards of 120+ year old vines and was fermented with the native yeast in stainless, so no oak contact. The result is this striking and vibrant wine that has a flinty minerality and salinity, streaking across the fuller, lees-lined palate with lemon pith and peel, quince, mirabelle plum, anise.

It would match with the mussels as good as with a refreshing Greek Salad.

Value Wines

San Pedro De Yacochuya, Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon, Valley of Cafayate-Salta, Argentina 2018

In this opportunity, I&rsquo;ve chosen a wine from my country, but from a most uncommon place than Mendoza.

San Pedro de Yacochuya is the winery of flying Bordeaux winemaker Michel Rolland and the Etchart family in Salta&rsquo;s Cafayate valley.

The estate&#39;s 60-year-old vines grow at around 2000 metres above sea level in desert-like conditions. The high altitude helps to produce intensely concentrated and richly-flavoured wines thanks to the intense UV rays and dry, arid conditions.

Composed primarily of Malbec along with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon This blend presents an intense violet color, sweet entry, balanced acidity with a very marked fruity character, and a contribution of oak that gives it complexity. In the mouth you will find spicy touches, with firm and ripe tannins.

Big, bold and fantastic, this North Argentinian wine is worth combining with the beef souvlaki.

Bigger budget/Special Occasion 

Domaine Cecile Tremblay &ldquo;Les Cabottes&rdquo;, Chambolle-Musigny, Burgundy, France 2018

Organic/Unfined/Unfiltered $375

Chambolle produces the most elegant wines in the&nbsp;C&ocirc;te de Nuits, having more active chalk and less clay in the soil than the other villages, and C&eacute;cile Tremblay is without a doubt one of the most talented wine growers in Burgundy.

Her wines are precise, pure, of high quality, combining elegance and finesse with structure and complexity. The classic style, is respectful of local traditions, but attentive to the latest techniques and knowledge.

Les Cabottes 2018 has some notes of red berries, sweet spices and rose petals; and in the mouth is medium to full-bodied, velvety with lively acids, sweet tannins and a long finish. it&#39;s worth a special effort to seek out and I&rsquo;ve found it in the wine list!

So, I think you have no choice but enjoy this one wine some Meze.

Cecilia, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Mandolini wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try your great suggestions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: <a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">Info@corkrules.com</a> or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Folie à Deux is a California-based winery that specializes in producing premium wines using traditional winemaking techniques. The winery is owned by the Trinchero Family Estates, which is known for its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Relaxed Italian chain eatery serving Tuscan-inspired grill fare, plus wine & cocktails.

Cafe Champagne

The Metropolitan Grill

Ray’s Boathouse

Ray's Boathouse

Purple Café and Wine Bar

Purple Cafe & Wine Bar

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Seastar

The Butcher's Table

Sofreh

Have & Meyer

Don Angie

Ruffian

homepage

CorkRules application allows you to discover wines at your favorite restaurants, learn with friends and be confident with price transparency. Order wine with confidence at restaurants and retailers. Get personalized recommendations. #DrinkWhatYouLove

BRIO Tuscan Grille - Detroit - Somerset Brio - Permanently Closed

Available Wines
Total Wines - 6

Kim Crawford

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Nevio

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo NV

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy

Canyon Oaks

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Cecchi Chianti DOCG, Tuscany NV

Tuscany, Italy

Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County NV

Sonoma County, USA

NV Lunetta Prosecco, Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia NV

Glera

Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy