The Island Winery of South Carolina

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.