We're coming on down to Hilton Head SC in mid February to spend a month.
We'll be driving, so weather conditions will determine our route.
We would like to stop in Asheville, NC for a tour of the Biltmore Estate
(I understand they have a winery on the grounds). We'll be using Hilton
Head SC as our base of operations, and we'll take several 1-2 day
excursions to other areas and cities of interest. Savannah, GA and
Charlston, SC are definitely on the list.

Here is the question: Does anyone have suggestions for restaurants or
bars that serve good food and wine at a reasonable price? On this trip,
we're not interested in pricey "fine dining" establishments.

Thanks Y'all for any suggestions.
Linda and Dick in Minnesota USA

The Biltmore house is very cool, the wines less so (many are actually
made with CA fruit, by the way).

I'll ask some friends who were recently in Charleston for suggestions,.
And Betsy if she has any restaurant finds in SE NC, where she plays a
lot. Be sure to get your BBQ in NC, not SC or GA.

In Asheville area is a place called "The Boathouse". It is pretty good.
Can be pretty views depending upon weather.

http://www.boathouserestaurants.com/04_03_locations.htm

Also, in Charleston is a place called California Dreaming. Again, fun
place, good food but not haut cuisine. Mid priced.

"Dick R." > wrote in message
...
> We're coming on down to Hilton Head SC in mid February to spend a month.
> We'll be driving, so weather conditions will determine our route.
> We would like to stop in Asheville, NC for a tour of the Biltmore Estate
> (I understand they have a winery on the grounds). We'll be using Hilton
> Head SC as our base of operations, and we'll take several 1-2 day
> excursions to other areas and cities of interest. Savannah, GA and
> Charlston, SC are definitely on the list.
>
> Here is the question: Does anyone have suggestions for restaurants or
> bars that serve good food and wine at a reasonable price? On this trip,
> we're not interested in pricey "fine dining" establishments.
>
> Thanks Y'all for any suggestions.
> Linda and Dick in Minnesota USA

Biltmore= the mansion is delightful, the restaurant adequate. Even if
you're on a VIP tour---you will have arrayed before you all the moderately
priced selections. Some of the wines are fresh, some was first opened when
the Vanderbilt's The young lads & ladies serving do not open fresh bottles
unless they have---you are lucky if a manager is called---the manager not
too much older then staff will open some inexpensive wines but anything over
$20 retail is reserved for potential customers---at the time 1999 they had a
lot of flabby hybrids. Their cab or zin was bought in California for the
winemaker to use. You have squint a bit to see the California appellation
on the bottle. The servers did know Wine 101, but referred to printed
material for any questions---when was the vidal picked and at what brix? I
might as well be talking in Sanskrit.

Oh yeah, I specialized in East Coast wine---had with me a German
importer/exporter. The VIP treatment was arranged by the wholesaler we used
in Asheville---there maybe some Rhinefaltz wines still on a few shelves
there. About 4 years after I retired the some one called me(area manager
for Maryland & Delaware) to see if I was interested in working for them on a
commission(low).
basis. I told him about my tasting room turn-off. He confirmed what the
Carolina wholesaler said---that they were shorthanded that day and the
person assigned to us was needed elsewhere---the person in charge made a
judgment that sales were brisk & they didn't think we were going to buy and
were in the way.

To be fair, I thought the wine sucked before we were dissed. The California
juice was worth the $40 price tag unless it was the retail price for a case.

"Dick R." > wrote in message
...
> We're coming on down to Hilton Head SC in mid February to spend a month.
> We'll be driving, so weather conditions will determine our route.
> We would like to stop in Asheville, NC for a tour of the Biltmore Estate
> (I understand they have a winery on the grounds). We'll be using Hilton
> Head SC as our base of operations, and we'll take several 1-2 day
> excursions to other areas and cities of interest. Savannah, GA and
> Charlston, SC are definitely on the list.
>
> Here is the question: Does anyone have suggestions for restaurants or
> bars that serve good food and wine at a reasonable price? On this trip,
> we're not interested in pricey "fine dining" establishments.
>
> Thanks Y'all for any suggestions.
> Linda and Dick in Minnesota USA

In article >,
"Joe \"Beppe\"Rosenberg" > wrote:

> Biltmore= the mansion is delightful, the restaurant adequate. Even if
> you're on a VIP tour---you will have arrayed before you all the moderately
> priced selections. Some of the wines are fresh, some was first opened when
> the Vanderbilt's The young lads & ladies serving do not open fresh bottles
> unless they have---you are lucky if a manager is called---the manager not
> too much older then staff will open some inexpensive wines but anything over
> $20 retail is reserved for potential customers---at the time 1999 they had a
> lot of flabby hybrids. Their cab or zin was bought in California for the
> winemaker to use. You have squint a bit to see the California appellation
> on the bottle. The servers did know Wine 101, but referred to printed
> material for any questions---when was the vidal picked and at what brix? I
> might as well be talking in Sanskrit.
>
> Oh yeah, I specialized in East Coast wine---had with me a German
> importer/exporter. The VIP treatment was arranged by the wholesaler we used
> in Asheville---there maybe some Rhinefaltz wines still on a few shelves
> there. About 4 years after I retired the some one called me(area manager
> for Maryland & Delaware) to see if I was interested in working for them on a
> commission(low).
> basis. I told him about my tasting room turn-off. He confirmed what the
> Carolina wholesaler said---that they were shorthanded that day and the
> person assigned to us was needed elsewhere---the person in charge made a
> judgment that sales were brisk & they didn't think we were going to buy and
> were in the way.
>
> To be fair, I thought the wine sucked before we were dissed. The California
> juice was worth the $40 price tag unless it was the retail price for a case.
>
> "Dick R." > wrote in message
> ...
> > We're coming on down to Hilton Head SC in mid February to spend a month.
> > We'll be driving, so weather conditions will determine our route.
> > We would like to stop in Asheville, NC for a tour of the Biltmore Estate
> > (I understand they have a winery on the grounds). We'll be using Hilton
> > Head SC as our base of operations, and we'll take several 1-2 day
> > excursions to other areas and cities of interest. Savannah, GA and
> > Charlston, SC are definitely on the list.
> >
> > Here is the question: Does anyone have suggestions for restaurants or
> > bars that serve good food and wine at a reasonable price? On this trip,
> > we're not interested in pricey "fine dining" establishments.
> >
> > Thanks Y'all for any suggestions.
> > Linda and Dick in Minnesota USA

Never have been impressed with Biltmore wines and the grapes that are
grown on the estate do not reflect any of the wines in the bottles they
sell. I have been put off in the past by the attitude in the wine shop
when they are really selling mediocre high priced wine. Biltmore wines
are big around here in Southeastern Virginia but not due to their QPR.

Funny, I have lived in NC for about 12 years and have never taken time to
go.

I did try a decent Chenin Blanc from them locally in Charlotte at a B & B
once. Also a decent Sparkling a ways back to I beleive. Not great but
good.


"Lawrence Leichtman" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Joe \"Beppe\"Rosenberg" > wrote:
>
>> Biltmore= the mansion is delightful, the restaurant adequate. Even if
>> you're on a VIP tour---you will have arrayed before you all the
>> moderately
>> priced selections. Some of the wines are fresh, some was first opened
>> when
>> the Vanderbilt's The young lads & ladies serving do not open fresh
>> bottles
>> unless they have---you are lucky if a manager is called---the manager not
>> too much older then staff will open some inexpensive wines but anything
>> over
>> $20 retail is reserved for potential customers---at the time 1999 they
>> had a
>> lot of flabby hybrids. Their cab or zin was bought in California for the
>> winemaker to use. You have squint a bit to see the California
>> appellation
>> on the bottle. The servers did know Wine 101, but referred to printed
>> material for any questions---when was the vidal picked and at what brix?
>> I
>> might as well be talking in Sanskrit.
>>
>> Oh yeah, I specialized in East Coast wine---had with me a German
>> importer/exporter. The VIP treatment was arranged by the wholesaler we
>> used
>> in Asheville---there maybe some Rhinefaltz wines still on a few shelves
>> there. About 4 years after I retired the some one called me(area manager
>> for Maryland & Delaware) to see if I was interested in working for them
>> on a
>> commission(low).
>> basis. I told him about my tasting room turn-off. He confirmed what
>> the
>> Carolina wholesaler said---that they were shorthanded that day and the
>> person assigned to us was needed elsewhere---the person in charge made a
>> judgment that sales were brisk & they didn't think we were going to buy
>> and
>> were in the way.
>>
>> To be fair, I thought the wine sucked before we were dissed. The
>> California
>> juice was worth the $40 price tag unless it was the retail price for a
>> case.
>>
>> "Dick R." > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > We're coming on down to Hilton Head SC in mid February to spend a
>> > month.
>> > We'll be driving, so weather conditions will determine our route.
>> > We would like to stop in Asheville, NC for a tour of the Biltmore
>> > Estate
>> > (I understand they have a winery on the grounds). We'll be using Hilton
>> > Head SC as our base of operations, and we'll take several 1-2 day
>> > excursions to other areas and cities of interest. Savannah, GA and
>> > Charlston, SC are definitely on the list.
>> >
>> > Here is the question: Does anyone have suggestions for restaurants or
>> > bars that serve good food and wine at a reasonable price? On this trip,
>> > we're not interested in pricey "fine dining" establishments.
>> >
>> > Thanks Y'all for any suggestions.
>> > Linda and Dick in Minnesota USA
>
> Never have been impressed with Biltmore wines and the grapes that are
> grown on the estate do not reflect any of the wines in the bottles they
> sell. I have been put off in the past by the attitude in the wine shop
> when they are really selling mediocre high priced wine. Biltmore wines
> are big around here in Southeastern Virginia but not due to their QPR.

In article om>,
says...
>
>The Biltmore house is very cool, the wines less so (many are actually
>made with CA fruit, by the way).
>
>I'll ask some friends who were recently in Charleston for suggestions,.
>And Betsy if she has any restaurant finds in SE NC, where she plays a
>lot. Be sure to get your BBQ in NC, not SC or GA.

In Charleston, I can recommend Magnolia's. It might be a bit towards the "fine
dining" end of the spectrum, but has always had great food, and very good
wine. Hope that it has not changed.

Hunt

On 2006-12-07 15:44:52 -0500, (Hunt) said:

> In article om>,
> says...
>>
>> The Biltmore house is very cool, the wines less so (many are actually
>> made with CA fruit, by the way).
>>
>> I'll ask some friends who were recently in Charleston for suggestions,.
>> And Betsy if she has any restaurant finds in SE NC, where she plays a
>> lot. Be sure to get your BBQ in NC, not SC or GA.
>
> In Charleston, I can recommend Magnolia's. It might be a bit towards
> the "fine dining" end of the spectrum, but has always had great food,
> and very good wine. Hope that it has not changed.
>
> Hunt

Fearrington Village near Chapel Hill, NC is worth a look. It's a quaint
bed and breakfast with a gourmet restaurant in a farm setting.

http://www.fearrington.com/

My wife (our tour director) has been compiling information gleaned from
the internet, tour books, friends and kind folks like you. I think we
have a plan.

Dick R. in Apple Valley, Minnesota USA