163: Rick Rubel, Charleston Grill (Charleston, SC)

As godfathers go, Rick Rubel is an exceptionally nice one. But he is one nonetheless, a key player in the growing wine excellence that Charleston, SC is becoming known for. As an advanced sommelier and wine director of Charleston Grill, Rick's been studying and serving wine for close to 25 years, but it's not just his encyclopedic knowledge of the biz and the bottles that make him noteworthy -- Rick inspires and mentors, sharing knowledge with anyone who's interested, even really Southern food writers who horribly mispronounce words on wine labels on occasion. The Grill has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for years, and with more than 1200 selections in its cellar rooms, there's one man who knows information about them all. And he's here to help you navigate your bottle selection this season.