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

Sofreh

Whitney Grant

Sofreh

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where (in each episode) we will review a Wine List from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Whitney Grant, wine educator and certified sommelier.

Hello Whitney, it&rsquo;s great to have you back on with CorkRules.

WG: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me! I&rsquo;m excited to share these wine selections with you and the CorkRules listeners.

RT:

Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, or value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about Sofreh a Persian restaurant in Prospect Heights. Chef and Owner Nasim Alikhani&rsquo;s has a simple philosophy for her food, &ldquo;it should be authentic, well crafted, and delicious. We practice this in everything we create, from our homemade yogurts to our fresh-baked breads&rdquo;. Inspired by the women in her family Sofreh offers traditional Persian food in a minimalist setting and of course a killer wine list.

Whitney I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of the wine list.

WG: &nbsp;Persian food is so full of flavors with incredible spices and herbs so let&#39;s start by taking a look at some wines by the glass that I think would complement some of the menu items offered at Sofreh. I&rsquo;ve picked a white, ros&eacute;, and a red wine pairing so there is something for everyone!

RT: Sounds fun Whitney, what would you suggest for those that prefer white wine?

WG: I would recommend the 2021 King Estate Pinot Gris from my home in Willamette Valley, Oregon. Robert, you know I love my Oregon wines!

RT: Yes, you do, tell us more about this Pinot Gris.

WG: King Estate is located in the southern end of the Willamette Valley, focusing on sustainable agriculture and producing awesome wines. The 2021 Pinot Gris is a classic dry Pinot Gris, with aromas of honeysuckle and lime zest on the palate ripe pear, and saline with bright acidity making it a great wine to pair with the Catch of the Day which is prepared in a tamarind sauce.

RT: What is the next wine you&rsquo;d recommend a glass of?

WG: The Roquefort Cotes De Provence Ros&eacute; would pair nicely with the Feta and Herb Flatbread or the Watermelon Feta Salad. This ros&eacute; is a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourv&egrave;dre, Clairette, and Vermentino. Beautiful pale pink color with flavors of white fruits, citrus, a hint of fennel. The wine will really compliment the creaminess of the feta.

RT: You can&rsquo;t go wrong with a Ros&eacute; from Provence. What is the last pairing you have for us?

WG: Lastly, we have the 2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir from Burgundy this lighter-bodied red wine would complement the richness of the eggplant and whey dip or the Smoked Eggplant main dish. A classic French wine with flavors of ripe cherry, raspberry, silky texture, crisp acidity, with some surprising tannin.

RT: Those selects certainly complement the incredible food at Sofreh. So Whitney, is there anything you would recommend for someone looking to explore a region that might not be as commonly seen on wine lists?

WG: There are a few wines I would recommend if you are looking to try something new!

For white wines I would suggest the 2020 Gruner Veltliner from the (Needer-Ouster-ike) Niederosterreich region in Austria.&nbsp; Gruner Veltliner is the signature grape produced in Austria typically great food wine with high acidity, lemon and apple aromas, and savory, herbaceous flavors comparable to a Sauvignon Blanc.&nbsp;

For red wines, I would recommend the Chateau Musar from the Bekaah (Bee-ka) region of Lebanon. The 2019 &ldquo;Jeune Rouge&rdquo; is a blend of Cinsaut, Cab Sauv, and Syrah. Chateau Musar is a historic winery with grapes first planted in the 1930s. This blend is unoaked and fermented in cement-lined casks. On the palate, you can expect a silky texture and a bright aromatic nose. Flavors black currant, raspberry, and cherry. Lebanon has a rich winemaking history dating back thousands of years to biblical times. If you get a chance to taste any wine from this region I would highly recommend it!

RT: Those sound like some exciting regions to explore! Were there any other wines that stood out to you?

WG: There is a wine on the list from one of my personal favorite French regions from the Rhone valley, Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. Consists of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourv&eacute;dre made from old vines giving the wine beautiful concentrated flavors of dark berries, and subtle hints of cedar and vanilla from 50% new oak. I love the wines from this region.

Now if you&rsquo;re only looking for a glass I would recommend the 2020 Champalou (COMP-A-LOU) Vouvray a Chenin Blanc from the Lorie Valley in France. This is a dry wine aged in stainless steel. Super refreshing flinty minerality balanced by florals and honeyed fruit. I really enjoy having a glass of Chenin, especially in the summer. This is another wine that I love.

RT: Whitney, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Sofreh&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself.

WG: Thanks for having me, Robert, I always enjoy chatting with you about great wines and great food! Looking forward to chatting with you again soon.

RT: 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: Info@CorkRules.com 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

&nbsp;

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Bocca di Lupe

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Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Hayes Ranch has been producing wines in California since 1977. Their wines are known for their approachability and high quality. The winery is owned by Wente Family Estates, a family-owned and operated winery that has been producing wine since 1883.

Casual option with nautical decor serving seafood & meat dishes, plus craft cocktails & water views.

Viva Garcia

Brera Osteria

Buddy V's

Yardbird

CHICA Las Vegas

Chica

Bar Zazu

Hell's Kitchen, Las Vegas

Brera

Jasmine

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

NC Coast Grill & Bar

Weingut Nik Weis - St. Urbans-Hof

White Label Nik Weis Wiltinger Alte Reben NV

Riesling

Mosel, Germany

Tommasi

Le Rosse Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

Valpolicella, Italy

Ca'Brigiano

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy

E. Guigal

Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc NV

Viognier

Cotes du Rhone, Rhone, France

Viña Nora

Peitan Albarino NV

Albarino

Galicia, Spain

Mionetto Il Prosecco, Veneto NV

Veneto, Italy

Essay

Chenin Blanc NV

Chenin Blanc

Western Cape, South Africa

Chemistry

Pinot Gris NV

Pinot Gris

Willamette Valley, USA

The Ned

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

The Ned

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Marlborough, New Zealand

Sombras del Sol

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Colchagua Valley, Chile

Campet Saint Marie

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

Pays d'Oc, France

Rock & Vine

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

North Coast, USA

Seven Falls

Merlot NV

Merlot

USA

Spellbound

Petite Sirah NV

Shiraz/Syrah

California, USA