Southport Magazine

Josh Pittman (left), a Johnson and Wales Culinary School graduate, is the wholesale director for Silver Coast Winery. He also instituted the winery’s craft beer department and crafts the beer-tasting notes. David Thorp (right), is manager of The Tasting Room, which is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Photo by Bethany Turner

By Josh Pittman and David Thorp

The story of Silver Coast Winery is that owner Maryann Azzato was having difficulty finding enjoyable wines when she moved here—so she decided to make her own! In 2002, she and her husband, Dr. Bud Azzato, set out to open Brunswick County’s first winery in Ocean Isle Beach (6680 Barbeque Road). It is the 22nd winery to open in North Carolina.
Her tastes lead Silver Coast’s wines to follow traditional European styles. To select the type of wine for each cuvée, Maryann consults the winery’s expert vintner, Dana Keeler, and examines what will be available for the next year. All of the fruit comes from the Blue Ridge area, and nothing comes from more than six hours away. Once the grapes are harvested, a dedicated staff works diligently to produce the local wines.

The Southport Tasting Room and Gallery (105 S. Howe St.) was opened in November 2011 and allows tourists and residents alike to sample every wine produced, as well as craft beers, at any time. Here are some of our favorite Silver Coast wines for spring:

2011 American Oak Chardonnay
This beautiful amber-colored wine is barrel-fermented and barrel-aged, yielding lovely notes of butter, vanilla, and a hint of spice. The palate then enjoys notes of butterscotch, hazelnuts, and delicate citrus with a wonderfully smooth finish. Try this wine with grilled salmon, roasted chicken, or coconut flavors.

2011 Seyval Blanc
Very pale in color, this wine offers wonderful floral and honeysuckle notes to the nose. Flavors of mangoes, grapefruits, and pineapples dance around a lightly sweet finish with a hint of effervescence. The Seyval Blanc is a hybrid of the Seibel and Rayon d’Or grapes, and it is cold-fermented. This wine is excellent with creamy cheeses and spicy foods.

Southport Blush
A luscious rosé blend, this wine has a vibrant tangerine color with citrus, apple, and rose petal notes on the nose. The palate delights in flavors of orange and grapefruit, with a light finish of honey and spice; excellent as a picnic wine for a day out at the beach.

2010 Reserve Merlot
This deep ruby-red wine is surrounded by aromas of black cherries, coffee, and spice. Notes of cedar, cherries, toasted cream, and plum roll into a velvety smooth finish. Our Reserve Merlot is partially aged in neutral oak barrels. These barrels have been used several times before, which helps give the wine a soft texture. This merlot can be enjoyed alone, or paired with roasted red pepper flavors.

2008 Touriga
The Touriga is a Portuguese varietal originally; it is the only grape varietel that has a red flesh, yielding the connotation “blood wine.” A lovely and unique red wine varietal, this yields lovely notes of leather, spice and mushrooms on the nose. The palate is graced by bold leather, coffee, and spice flavors, leading to a bright cherry finish. This pairs excellently with game meats, lamb, and mushrooms.