Moving back to Charleston after 25 years or so means that while I'm a native, I'm also a "newbie aka noob" at the same time. However, to look at it in a positive light, I get to explore the area while somewhat knowing the "lay of the land," so to speak. Thus, when my uncle came up from Jacksonville and asked where we could go for a couple glasses of wine I had no clue, thus asking google. The place that I really liked was Accent on Wine. When I first pulled off Dorchester Rd, I thought I had bad directions b/c there wasn't much that set it apart - ie curb appeal from a distance. That all changed opening the door!
Walking in the first thing you'll notice is the compact yet quaint wine selection. I love this type of atmosphere as appeals to my snobbish wine nature. The tables and floors are rustic, gleaming with multifunctional utilization that were obtained from an estate sale in the far country. The ceiling is a hybrid of open and closed exposure, being tastefully yet frugally composed. Decore is minimal yet tasteful yielding it's way to open white wall space. It's very tastefully thought out. Finally, as a lover of all things 80s, the music was spot on. Adam Ant, Depeche Mode and Flock of Seagulls really created an upbeat ambiance.
I sat down then after watching other patrons I realized that ordering beverages and/or food meant you have to go to the bar offset on the right. No problem as I'm willing to engage in a new experience. Talking with the very nice bartender, it's set up this way to have the limited staff focus on important items like slinging suds or grapes and not inconvenienced with the complexities of life such as WALKING. I joke and I have no problem with the setup. Again, I want to reiterate the staff here are excellent; knowledgably in the menu and being able to engage in bar talk. If one were to consider Cheers as a reference point: the good attributes of Sam, Cliff and Norm mixed into two people.
I literally just came from eating at La Minerva and while I would have loved to sample their menu I wasn't hungry. However, I did opt for a glass of wine. As stated before I love wines and more specifically red wines from either Bourdeau, Burgendy or Rhone and "son on a gun" they had a Cote-du-Rhone Villages 2022. To fill you guys in, I just moved from Austin TX and almost no where I went could you buy a French red wine by the glass, so pardon my elation! The wine was really good with a balance of black current, cherry and licorice while slowly melding on the tongue, rounding out the experience to a smooth landing. Not pretentious, not overpowering just a mellow experience while having enough tannis to poke you if you wanted to forget.
Overall, I love this joint, my style of low-key, sophistication, supply of items I like and while there weren't many people there, the vibe was a mixture of life: whether it's sitting and relaxing or a more energetic affair. I'm extremely curious what the atmosphere is like in terms of more people hanging out and also the food. Today call me Arnold b/c "I'll be back...." read more