Classic California Pours in a Southern Icon
Charleston · Southern American · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Magnolias’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Magnolias feels like it was built for the guest who knows what they like and isn't looking to be challenged — and honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. California Cabernet and Chardonnay anchor everything here, backed by a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the restaurant has held since 1997. This is a confident, if conservative, list.
With somewhere between 150 and 250 bottles, the list has real depth on paper, but the soul of it is Napa and Sonoma through and through. You'll find the usual suspects done well: Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Jordan — these are crowd-pleasing producers executed at a high level, not afterthoughts. The Chardonnay section is almost comically Californian, stacking Rombauer, Cakebread, and Sonoma-Cutrer side by side like a flight waiting to happen. If you're hunting for Burgundy depth, old-world curiosities, or anything remotely obscure, you'll leave hungry.
The by-the-glass program runs 12 to 20 options, which is a solid spread for a restaurant of this size and style. Expect the same California-leaning lineup in pour form — you're likely looking at the Sonoma-Cutrer and Rombauer Chardonnays alongside a Cab or two from the Napa heavy-hitters. Rotation doesn't appear to be a major priority here; this reads more like a curated standing menu than a dynamic program.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $65
Jordan consistently over-delivers for its price tier — it's approachable, polished, and won't make you wince at the bill the way some of its Napa neighbors will. A smart order in a room full of bigger-name markups.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Everyone at the table will gravitate toward Caymus or Silver Oak on name recognition alone. Stag's Leap is the quieter achiever on this list — more structure, more elegance, and a legacy that most diners underestimate. Order it before someone else does.
Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay
Look, Rombauer is fine. But it's also on every restaurant wine list in America, it's almost always marked up aggressively, and the butter-bomb style is a one-note experience. You can do this at home. You're in Charleston — push yourself a little.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot + Crab Cakes
Duckhorn Merlot brings enough plum richness and soft tannin to stand up to the savory depth of the crab cakes without steamrolling the delicate seafood. It's a warmer, more indulgent take on a classic seafood pairing that works surprisingly well in this Southern context.
The Bottom Line
Magnolias is a reliable night out if you love California wine and classic Southern cooking — the list is well-maintained, the producers are legit, and the setting earns its reputation. Just don't come here expecting adventure; this list is more comfort food than discovery.
· Charleston · Restaurant
Costa is doing something genuinely unusual — a dessert-only wine program with real depth and no obvious throwaways. We'd send a friend here for an after-dinner glass, especially if they've never been talked into a Brachetto or a Barolo Chinato before.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Charleston · Charleston · Seafood, Steakhouse
Marbled & Fin is doing the work — a real sommelier, a focused list, and bottles you actually want to drink with serious food. The markups are steep enough to sting, but if you know where to look (start with Argentina), you'll drink well on East Bay Street.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Charleston · Charleston · Italian
Legami is doing the right things with wine on King Street — a serious Italian-led list, a knowledgeable sommelier in Hutch Lee, and enough depth to reward the curious. The markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're here for the Brunello and the house-made pasta, you're exactly where you should be.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Charleston · Charleston · American
Zero Restaurant + Bar holds a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for good reason — this is one of the most serious wine programs in South Carolina, full stop. Yes, the big bottles are expensive, but there's real depth here beyond the trophy names, and with three sommeliers on the floor, you're in good hands.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Charleston · Charleston · Steak house
Halls Chophouse is unabashedly a California Cab steakhouse, and it plays that game at the highest level in Charleston — Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence didn't land here by accident. If you're coming in expecting adventure or value, recalibrate; but if you're here to eat a serious steak and drink a serious Napa red, Tom Weber's list will not let you down.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Charleston · Steakhouse
Oak Steakhouse Charleston isn't trying to be a wine bar, but the list is honest, fairly priced, and anchored by a fortified wine program that most steakhouses twice the price can't match. Send a friend here and tell them to start with a Madeira.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Greenville · Greenville · Southern American
Soby's list is easiest to use from the front: start with the By The Glass page, where La Divina Lambrusco di Sorbara is $13 and the Domaine Fichet Mâcon Chardonnay is $14, then ask the sommeliers about Burgundy, Champagne or Piedmont. Put the Mâcon with the Crab Cakes. The PDF's file name carries the date October 7, 2026, so confirm availability and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Peachtree City · Southern American
Elliott's punches well above its suburban strip-mall address with a 72-bottle list, a real sparkling program, and by-the-glass options that actually reward attention. Markups look fair across the board, and the Riesling depth alone is worth noting in a town where most restaurants hand you a Kendall-Jackson and call it a day. If you're heading here for a special occasion dinner, skip the Moët, grab the Eroica or the Sancerre, and eat the fried chicken. You'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Gatlinburg · Southern American
Ole Red is a concert venue and bar that happens to have wine on the menu — and it shows. If you're in Gatlinburg for live music and cold beer, this place probably delivers. If you're looking to drink well, skip the wine entirely and order a cocktail or a local beer. There are better uses for your $10.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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