Top 100 wines of South Carolina
Discover the top 100 best wines of South Carolina as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of South Carolina and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the southeastern United States, bordered by North Carolina and Georgia to the north and south respectively. The state's humid, subtropical Climate makes viticulture extremely difficult, but despite this, a handful of intrepid winemakers are experimenting with wines made from vinifera and HybridGrapes, as well as muscadine grapes, a native American variety.
The state covers about 82,900 square miles of relatively flat coastal plains, from the Atlantic Ocean to the "Fall Line", a geological fault that runs parallel to the Atlantic coast from the Carolinas to New Jersey. South Carolina's few Vineyards are scattered throughout the state, from the seaward-influenced Low Country to the slightly higher western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains near the town of Greenville.
Given South Carolina's Long colonial history, it is perhaps not surprising that settlers began experimenting with grape growing here as early as the 18th century, in an attempt to recreate the fine wines of Europe with the native grapes of the American Southeast. However, grape growing never took off in South Carolina, and vineyard coverage is minimal in the state.
The heat and humidity of South Carolina's climate are the most significant obstacles to effective viticulture. Fungal diseases of downy mildew and potential grape dehydration caused by the scorching summer temperatures are challenges for winemakers.
News from the vineyard of South Carolina
Californian Pinot Noir pioneer Josh Jensen passes away
Josh Jensen was famed for producing elegant, silky Pinot Noirs at Calera Wine Company on the Central Coast. Leading wine critic Robert Parker Jr once described Calera – the company that Jensen founded in 1971 – as ‘California’s Romanée-Conti.’ Jensen completed undergraduate studies at Yale, but his love of fine wine blossomed while completing an MA in social anthropology at Oxford University in the UK. He was a key member of the rowing crew at both universities, but he still found time to devel ...
Hugh Johnson: ‘What can irritate me is change for change’s sake’
‘New’ is the second most popular word in any sales catalogue. (The first is ‘Free’.) We scribblers can’t resist it: it guarantees copy of one sort or another. Even in the slowly evolving world of wine, where the main ethos of the product is historical continuity, ‘new’ sells. To someone like me with a strong sense of history, not to mention conservative tastes, it can be a bit unsettling. It’s not really change that bothers me. There is always room for improvement. What can irritate me is change ...
Kylie Minogue launches her wine range in the US
The ‘Spinning Around’ singer launched the wines on her birthday in 2020 as part of a collaboration with London-based Benchmark Drinks. The firm, founded by former Accolade Wines chief executive Paul Schaafsma, specialises in celebrity partnerships. It has also launched wines in tandem with Sarah Jessica Parker, Ian Botham and Graham Norton. Yet the Kylie Minogue range has been one of the star performers, selling 3.5 million bottles in the UK and a further 1.5 million bottles in 15 international ...