Best Wine Lists in South Carolina

Rick Erwin's Level 10

· Spartanburg · Restaurant

The Lazy List

Two bottles is not a wine list — it's a gap on the menu waiting to be filled. Rick Erwin's Level 10 earns points for choosing recognizable, inoffensive labels, but zero points for effort, range, or value. If wine matters to your night out, this is not your destination in Spartanburg.

Rick Erwin's Greer

· Greer · Restaurant

The Lazy List

Rick Erwin's Greer may well be a great steakhouse experience, but the wine program as documented is nearly nonexistent — two bottles, steep markup on the Cab, and no evidence of any active curation or by-the-glass program. If you're coming here for wine, bring your own or stick to cocktails.

Cola's Restaurant

· Columbia · New American Seafood

The Reliable

Cola's is a reliable neighborhood anchor with a wine list that plays it safe — approachable for most guests, but unlikely to surprise anyone paying close attention. If you're in Columbia for the food (and the food sounds genuinely good), drink what sounds familiar and don't overthink it; just don't come expecting the wine list to be the main event.

Motor Supply Co. Bistro

· Columbia · New American

The Lazy List

Motor Supply Co. Bistro appears to put its energy into the kitchen, and that may be the right call — but three wines is not a wine program. Until this list gets a serious rethink, order a cocktail or call ahead to ask about corkage.

Rick Erwin's Clemson

· Clemson · Restaurant

The Lazy List

Two wines, one producer, no real choice — Rick Erwin's Clemson treats wine as an afterthought and the pricing confirms it. Until this list gets a meaningful overhaul, order a cocktail or ask your server what's on draft.

A 51-wine list: 20 white and sparkling, 31 red, with 14 wines posted as two-price pairs like 10/40 and the rest at a single price up to 140. Start with the 10/40 Alta Vista Malbec, or the Musset-Roullier Chenin Blanc at 55 if you want the list's only Chenin Blanc, and ask what the pairs mean before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.

Twelve glasses from $10 to $20 and a bottle list with ten sparkling wines, eight Chardonnays and a single Muscadet. Order the $13 Picpoul with the raw oysters, or the $90 Brégeon Muscadet if you want a bottle, and check that the vintage is still available. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.

An Italian list with a broad glass program and a labeled Golden Glass tier for the big names. Try the Marziano Abbona Barolo (25/100) or the Marilina orange (15/60), and confirm vintages, since the list says they can change with availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.

A wine list sorted by sweetness and intensity rather than region, with no prices posted. Try the Kendall-Jackson Riesling with the Kung Pao Chicken, and ask for glass and bottle prices because the drink menu posts none. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.

A wine list sorted by style, from light aromatic whites to a $260.00 Amarone, so you can stay modest or go big. Start with the Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon at $12.00 and $42.00 or the City Scape Pomegranate Pinot Noir at $12.00 and $46.00, and ask which price is the glass. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.

A small-producer list that skews toward Spain, Italy, France, Oregon and California, with clearly priced glasses. Start with the $15 Demarie Roero Nebbiolo or the $14 Carrel & Senger Jacquère by the glass, then look at the Orange section for something unusual, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menu, not service, storage or markups.

A short wine list tucked under the cocktails at a sports bar, with seven wines and no prices posted. If you want wine with the game, ask about the Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc or the Archetype Pinot Noir, and ask what they cost before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted list, not service, storage or markups.