Lowcountry Ivy, Big-League Juice
Hilton Head Island · Seafood, European · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Charlie's L'Etoile Verte’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into a vine-covered Lowcountry house on New Orleans Road, the last thing you expect is a wine list that's been earning Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2007. But there it is — 200-plus bottles anchored by serious California and French producers sitting right alongside the She Crab soup. This isn't a beach-town afterthought; someone here actually cares.
The list leans hard into California and France, and it earns that focus. You've got Stag's Leap and Far Niente holding down Napa, Flowers and Domaine Drouhin Oregon covering the cooler-climate Pinot flank, and on the French side, Louis Jadot Burgundy and a Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet that has absolutely no business being on the same card as crab cakes — and yet here we are. The Chateau Margaux appearance confirms this list has real aspirations. If you're hoping for Rhône depth or much New World range outside California, you'll find the edges thin, but the core is rock solid.
Twelve to twenty by-the-glass options is a healthy pour program for a restaurant this size, and it means you're not stuck ordering a full bottle to explore. We'd want to know how frequently the glass list rotates — a static BTG menu would be the one thing holding this program back from full Rager status.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $65
Jordan punches well above its shelf price in a restaurant setting — reliably structured, crowd-pleasing without being boring, and consistently marked up less aggressively than trophy names. It's the move when the table can't agree on adventurous.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet
Most people at a seafood restaurant reach for something safe and white. Domaine Leflaive is one of Burgundy's benchmark producers, and Puligny-Montrachet at this level is a genuine experience — mineral-driven, precise, and built for shellfish and delicate fish. Most diners will scroll right past it, which is their loss.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere — every steakhouse, every hotel bar, every wedding. You're paying a premium here for a brand, not a story. With Jordan and Stag's Leap on the same list, there's no reason to default to the safe choice.
Flowers Vineyard Pinot Noir + Redfish
Flowers' Sonoma Coast Pinot is built on cool maritime influence — bright acidity, restrained fruit, and enough structure to stand up to a meaty fish like redfish without overwhelming it. It's the rare red that actually belongs next to a seafood entrée.
Monday — Half-price wine night every Monday — one of the better deals on the island and a genuine reason to plan around it.
The Bottom Line
Charlie's L'Etoile Verte is the kind of quietly serious wine program that sneaks up on you in the best way — a French country house on a South Carolina barrier island with a list that's been legitimately decorated for nearly two decades. Monday's half-price wine night alone is worth rearranging your vacation itinerary.
Shelter Cove · Hilton Head Island · Seafood / New American
Sea Salt isn't trying to win a wine list award and it shows, but it's not trying to rip you off on selection either — just on price. If you're already there for the scallops and the view, the wine list will serve you fine; just set your expectations to vacation mode and not discovery mode.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Harbour Town / Sea Pines · Hilton Head Island · Resort / American
The Harbour Town Clubhouse wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — familiar, functional, and unlikely to offend anyone in a golf shirt. Just know going in that you're paying resort prices for resort selections, and calibrate your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South End / Forest Beach · Hilton Head Island · American pub and grill
Reilley's is a reliable beach-town bar that happens to have wine — not a wine destination that happens to serve food. Hit it during happy hour for half-off house pours, order the Rosé with your crab cakes, and keep your expectations calibrated to the vibe.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Mid-island · Hilton Head Island · Seafood / Retail-to-Table
Redfish is the kind of wine list that works better than it should for a coastal tourist spot — 400 bottles is nothing to dismiss, even if the selection leans on crowd-pleasing California names and the pricing reflects the zip code. Go in knowing what you want, order the Riesling by the glass, and you'll have a fine night.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shelter Cove · Hilton Head Island · Upscale Coastal American
The Pearl is a solid, well-dressed list that serves its upscale coastal crowd without rocking any boats. Bring a group, let someone order the Miraval, and don't let the Silver Oak get near your credit card.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mid-island · Hilton Head Island · Italian
Il Carpaccio is a reliable dinner option for Hilton Head visitors who want a glass of something recognizable without overthinking it — but anyone hoping to find Italy on the wine list will come up short. Drink the bubbles, enjoy the pasta, and don't expect the list to challenge you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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