Resorting to good wine: The RSM Classic, Sea Island Resort, November 21-24, 2024
Click on the map for links to locations and directions
Through a lucky set of circumstances, in compiling this article I had the chance to speak with three of the most knowledgeable wine people in the so-called Golden Isles (Sea Island, Brunswick, St. Simons, Little St. Simons and Jekyll Island) and it was a revelation. I have to admit their input exposed many limitations of my online-only approach to evaluating the availability of good wine in unfamiliar markets. First, as they say, you don't know what you don't know. Second, getting on-the-ground recommendations from local experts was invaluable in terms of what I can pass along to you.
My three local "gurus of the Golden Isles" are Ryan McLoughlin, Brian Henderson and Brandon Boudreau, all of whom cut their teeth at the Sea Island Resort, a shrine to great wine as you'll see below. Ryan actually runs the wine program at Sea Island, which kind of makes him Boss of the Moss. Brian and Brnedan are both involved in dynamic retail operations that you'd never uncover if you were trying to figure it out remotely online. It's worth getting to know a little about each of them before diving into the specific recommendations.
Ryan, a self-described' “Swiss Army Knife,” is the Head Sommelier of Sea Island Company, meaning he overseas all beverage operations for one of the world’s great golf and wine destinations. He is in the process of sitting for his Advanced Sommelier certification. He’s also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and an avid golfer in his spare time. Talk about Triple Threat. He’s on speed dial for a handful of touring pros in The Golden Isles who love wine, and of course, he’s the wine host of the Tournament itself.
Brian was the maître d' at The Cloisters at The Sea Island Resort in his early 20's. There he soon found himself in love with wine and on the path to passing the Advanced Sommelier exam on his first try as well a Certified French Wine Specialist. Today he is responsible for evaluating and purchasing premium wines for JP's Wines and Spirits in Brunswick and advising several local restaurants. If you find yourself anywhere nearby and care about wine, you'll want to look him up. Ask about his experiences working with John Daly and Vijay Singh. You won’t be disappointed.
Brandon is himself a Certified Sommelier who left a senior Sea Island post to realize his dream of opening a fine wine boutique (Newcastle Wine Merchant) in an affluent but underserved market. He is passionate about and specializes in small, high quality, artisanal producers whose wines may never have been seen before in Coastal Georgia. For our purposes here @SwigCoach, suffice it to say like Ryan he serves as the retail wine whisperer/caddie to several local touring PGA pros who reside in the area.
What follows then is a combination of my own remote research and their precision-guided recommendations. So you can calibrate, I’ll include their initials after any venue one or both specifically mentioned. I’m not a food critic, but they confirm the food is great across the board and any number of menu photos I saw of Georgia Coastal Cuisine looked inspired.
Restaurants
Ryan McLoughlin in his element
Sea Island Resort. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the anchor of wine culture resides at the venerable Sea Island Resort itself, site of the RSM tournament. On the website there are 15 listed places to eat, ranging from ultra-fine dining to poolside and the Men’s Locker Room. The wine list available at the Cloister is magnificent, full of great options from all over the world. It features multiple verticals and expresses a fondness for certain esteemed high-end producers like Didier Dageuneau in Pouilly Fume, Arnoux-Lachoux in Burgundy, and Opus One. The philosophy seems to be once you’ve found the gold standard, you might as well double down. Prices are resort-like, but not the highest we’ve ever seen. At 78 pages, The Cloister list is more than twice the size of the The Lodge, which is also excellent. If we were there, we’d ask for the Cloister List at the Men’s Grill and snack bar too. Sometimes big resorts will share the cellar across venues, so why not try? I’m guessing/hoping Southern hospitality would prevail.
Once you leave the Resort, everything else plays second fiddle from a wine perspective, but it doesn’t mean you’ll go thirsty
Halyards (BH) has a solid list with nice assortments in key varietals and regions, but real strength in California cab and especially Bordeaux. In fact, we like their Bordeaux selection more than The Lodge List at Sea Island, since there are a bunch of quality options at less than nosebleed prices. Unfortunately, though, when you can find a straight up comparison between the two lists (e.g. Clos du Marquis), they are about the same. Ouch.
Delaney’s Bistro (BH) is a place to try if you don’t want to have to check your credit card limit before heading out. It’s pedestrian in a lot of categories and dominated by familiar, high-volume names. But there are pleasant surprises too, like Domaine Faury Cote Rotie for $85, so take a few minutes to look it over before pulling the trigger. If you dare, ask the staff if you can visit The Shed (BH). Even we don’t know what lurks within.
Dorothy’s Cocktail and Oyster Bar (BH, BB) Cited for its small but eclectic list. Prices are high.
Tramici (BH) Italian leaning list from the same team as Halyards. A few decent options if you go straight to the reds on the Select Bottle List.
Woodside qualifies as a no-see-um in all categories. There isn’t much to see online except a reservation function and you have to assume this is deliberate. One of our experts gave it high praise and the online reviews are uniformly excellent. Can’t comment on the wine but you can hope the list lives up to the food.
Retail
Whether you’re a resident, a snowbird, or just visiting, here’s where to go if you want to make good wines part of your Golden Isles experience. Nothing like having an accredited sommelier on the floor in a retail store if you’re wondering what to serve with dinner tonight.
Brian Henderson at JP’s Wines and Spirits
Brandon Boudreau at Newcastle Wine Merchants
The owner of JP’s Wine and Spirits made Brian Henderson an offer he couldn’t refuse to help take their wine game to the next level. As you might expect, his impact has been immediate and he’s only getting started. For example, last year Brian explained that he’s been going gangbusters with Picpoul de Pinet, a light and super-refreshing white from the French Languedoc coast. Frankly, I didn’t see that coming, but it’s evidence that there’s plenty of pent up thirst for quality and innovation in the area. Unfortunately, you won’t learn a thing from their website, so we heartily recommend you either email or call Brian directly to find out what’s up. In his spare time Brian is a kayak guide and hiking enthusiast. Despite his exalted wine credentials, he couldn’t be more friendly and down-to-earth.
Brandon’s store, Newcastle Wine Merchant, is still relatively new and he’s already accumulated a devoted local following. He’s what I would describe as a tastemaker, whose combination of knowledge, enthusiasm and access to allocated producers can help steer his clients to exciting discoveries across the price/value spectrum. In his own words, his goal is to help people discover “the best kept secrets of the wine world.” Despite the fact that his wines may be unfamiliar to many, he’s committed to the idea that buying them should never be intimidating. Unfortunately a recent visit to the website showed a distressing number of great bottles out of stock, but this could just be temporary so don’t let it throw you.
The Bubble Bar at Two Friends is curated by another certified sommelier and wine educator, Ruth Ryberg. The unique concept is a wine store and wine bar inside a boutique/gift shop. More than 500 wines are available, many from small, artisanal producers with a sustainable/organic orientation. French wines and a selection of 80 champagnes and sparkling wines provide focus. Prices look very fair, especially since you can carry a bottle right to the wine bar without any additional corkage (yay!). But if you’re in the mood there are also some thoughtful, relatively affordable splurges like Auguste Clape Cornas or 2016 Chateau Talbot.
