THE WINE
Deep Water is a name with many meanings, first and foremost you'll hear the term deep water in the Lowcountry as coveted access beyond the pluff mud of the marsh. We also, honestly, as owners of a winery feel a little bit overwhelmed so you could say we're in deep water.
But really, if you pressed Jesse or Andrea, they would say that the name "Deep Water" embodies their view of this short life. That we are not meant to wade in the shallows of the shore, but are meant to dive deep and maybe feel the weight of water over your head and depth of water beneath your feet, but ultimately know you've tried something bigger than yourselves - and, if you're truly fortunate, float satisfactorily on top of the deep for awhile.
The wine itself is one of the only truly native grapes to the US, and we embrace it. Remaining true to our predecessors Southern roots, we grow muscadine grapes, a fruit native to the Southeastern United States. We produce authentic muscadine wine, five different labels from four varieties of grapes.
Lowcountry Red
Our dry red wine, made with the Ison Muscadine grape, is fruity and fully flavored; try it while enjoying your favorite low-country farm to table fare.
High Tide
Our light-bodied red wine, made from the Noble grape, has a robust Muscadine flavor and nose; making it perfect to enjoy while watching the tide roll in.
Low Tide
Our semi-dry smooth white wine is made from the Tara Scuppernong grape - best enjoyed sittin' on the dock of the bay, you know... wastin' time.
Magnolia
This sweet white wine is made from the Carlos Scuppernong grape; this wine reminds us of kicking your shoes off and enjoying an endless summer.
Muscadines, once thought of as "the fountain of youth", have been praised for its significant levels of resveratrol, an organic molecule and powerful antioxidant. A study by the National Institute of Health found that muscadine wines have seven times more resveratrol than other wines.
Deep Water Blend
Uniquely created each year, this wine showcases the versatility of our grapes; enjoy early and often, there's more next year.
LOOKING TO PURCHASE OUR WINE IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS?
Below is a list of some of the local stops that you can stop buy and pick up your favorite Deep Water wine, or call us and we'd be happy to ship to you:
Edisto Island - Green Boat Discount Liquor
James Island - Toddy Shop
Goose Creek - Port City Liquors
Mount Pleasant - Bottles
Mount Pleasant - Total Wine
Summerville - Bottles - Summerville (formerly Bill's)
West Ashley - Total Wine
Other Wines and Unique Blends
In addition to our 100% South Carolina grown and bottled wines, we also offer the product of a partnership we have with a grower in California. This allows us access to grapes we cannot effectively grow here, we ship them in from California before vinting and bottling them based on lots of "market research" (read: tasting, tasting, and more tasting). We're proud to offer an increasing list of these viniferous grape single varietals and blends.
Driftwood - this wine is vinted with toasty barrel chips to get a smoky flavor that draws out the fruit tannins in the tara and chardonnay grapes, while still offering a buttery smoothness and clear finish. If you like oaked chardonnays or sipping bourbon, this wine may be your new best friend.
Chardonnay - our straight chardonnay wine offering, we've enhanced the acidity in this wine a bit to give it more depth across the middle, it is a true unoaked chardonnay for those who may find some muscadine flavors too full or fruity.
Symphony – This young grape comes to us from California and tastes very similar to a Riesling but just when you think it might be too sweet, it hits you with a bit of tart, in a perfect symphony of aromas and flavors.
Sea Island Red - another unique blend, this wine pairs the noble muscadine grape with a reserve cabernet sauvignon which lends for a sweetness on the nose and front of the wine, a dryness from the cabernet in the middle, and ends with a snap of sweet to leave you wanting more.
Cabernet Sauvignon - our straight cabernet sauvignon offering, vinted a bit longer to draw out depth of flavor, this wine is still young but should age well. It is dry throughout and should appeal to those who tend to prefer bold reds.
Zinfandel – a complex grape that has been around for thousands of years, our Zin is young in the bottle but will age well. It’s very full-bodied, not for the faint of heart.
Sweet Caroline – pop a bottle of our rosé Zinfandel bubbly and you’ll be singing something about “good times never seemed so good”(so good, so good, so good).
Starry Sky – our popular Symphony takes on a new dimension as a sparkling wine, best while gazing at a sky full of stars and dreaming of the future ahead.
Prana - this sparkling brut style wine is the driest bubbly option we have, slight pear notes and a dry finish.
Winter Blues - made with local blueberries, enjoy it now or cellar for 3 years, either way we know it will help combat those “winter blues”. Full-bodied, tannic, with exceptional blueberry flavor.
Have a Ball, Lucille - our popular strawberry wine will be sure to have you laughing and enjoying whatever whimsical adventure you dream up.
Eventide - the blackberry subtly adds depth to this light merlot, this dry blend is best served in the moonlight of an “anything could happen” kinda night.
Palmetto Pepper - “Hey let’s ferment 1200 pounds of jalapeño peppers and call it a wine!” That’s kind how this started, it’s a great bloody mary mixer, but a few daredevils will pour themselves a glass of fire and call it a great idea. Your call.
Weekend Wine-down
Every Saturday from 10:00 - 5:00 p.m, we are proud to offer rotating food trucks and live music (music is from 1-4) to entertain all of our visitors. It's hard to find food on Wadmalaw Island and we understand! We want to make sure you enjoy your tastings with some food in your stomach, while you eat you can listen to local musicians and enjoy the tranquil surroundings of the vineyard. Bring your family, bring your friends, bring your smile - you're bound to have a great time.
See the calendar for upcoming events and Facebook for planned food and music so you can plan your weekend wine-down!
THE STORY
The Vineyard
Our address at the end of Bears Bluff Road started as "Irvin House Vineyard" in 2001. In 2015 Jim and Ann Irvin were instrumental in transitioning their retirement dream into our lifelong dream, and we will forever be grateful. Nestled among the majestic live oaks on Charleston's back porch of Wadmalaw Island, this 48-acre winery and vineyard has something for everyone. We are the only domestic winery in Charleston, South Carolina and should be on the top of your list when visiting the Lowcountry.
A local and visitor favorite, we grow and harvest the grapes as well as make and bottle our wines all on site. You'll find us about 30 minutes south of Charleston, on the sleepy island of Wadmalaw. Our vineyard offers walking trails, many animals to get to know, a garden, a large pond, the winery (of course), and our charming little gift shop. Prepare to spend a few hours, or a full day enjoying a walk through the vines; or take advantage of our affordable and informative wine tastings. Whether you’re a large group or intimate couple, the vineyard has plenty of things to do.
We encourage families to bring picnics along with blankets and chairs so you can sit back and truly relax. Animals are allowed to visit us as long as they are leashed. We're open Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
About Jesse and Andrea
Jesse and Andrea are transplants to the south, but don't let that fool you. They both embrace the hospitality and southern charm that embodies the mystique of Lowcountry living. In 2012, after having enough snow to last them several lifetimes, they began a search for somewhere that they could raise their three young boys with adventure, intrigue, and purpose. The search was over when they visited South Carolina. Two years after moving south they were dared by some friends to inquire about Irvin-House Vineyard. The rest, as they say, is history. Jesse and Andrea feel incredibly blessed to steward this property and we hope everyone who has the opportunity to visit us feels the special vibes that drew us here and continue to speak to all who visit our little slice of heaven.
THE EXPERIENCE
We'd love to have you visit! When you do, we have lots for you to experience, and more to come in the near future. We have an entire 48 acres for you to explore on your own, with friends or loved ones, or as a family.
We are proud to offer different types of transportation and tours to accommodate you.
Grab a ride
Forget the hassle of driving and ride with David
Our relationship with Holy City Transportation is long-standing and we feel fortunate to have the best driver in the low-country. Born and raised here, David knows how to create a day that features the best of Charleston county, whether it's a day trip to the vineyard, a stop at the Angel Oak, or fun on a Sea Island Tour. Check out his Facebook page for testimonials and a glimpse at some the fun adventures he can take you on. Call him at (843) 364-5841 for all of your group transportation needs, you'll be glad you did!
Daily self-guided tours & tastings
Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
For $15.00, you'll go on a "choose your own adventure" tour, weaving your way through our current wine list choosing 6 samples to try. And, since we value our employees being able to be spontaneous, you may have some surprise tastes as well (especially if you come during the week when we're not so busy). At the end you will receive a complimentary wine glass to remember your time at the vineyard. Guests are welcome to stroll through the 7 miles of vines in our vineyard as a self-guided tour.
Private Tastings by reservation
Book your private event today
• Bachelorette and Girls' Weekends
• Family Picnics
• Large Groups
• Birthdays & Anniversaries
• Romantic Outings
• Office Excursions
• And more!
Check out one of our partner tours, whether you're up for some history, adventure, or just want to sample some local wine, beer, or spirits - Sea Island Tours has you covered.
THE EVENTS
Below we have listed our four annual festivals.
For more information on what's happening at Deep Water Vineyard or to book a private tasting for your birthday, bachelorette party, company group or any occasion at all, check out our Facebook page.
Our 4 main festivals every year consist of:
Cork Shuckin’ Festival - Paying homage to the lowcountry, we feature an oyster roast with local craft brews and oysters - February 25th, 2023 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Blessing of the Vines Festival - We bless the vines for the growing season at our Blessing of the Vines Festival, one that is very special for us - May 20th, 2023
Grape Stomp Festival - Our popular Lucille Ball look-a-like and grape stomp contests mark the start the fall - taking place on August 19th, 2023
Mead-ival Festival - This is our “renaissance of mead” featuring our Bears Bluff Meadery branded beverages including bottled meads and some of our favorite drafts as well as renaissance themed food, vendors, and events for your enjoyment. We’re looking forward to this one, y’all. November 4th, 2023
We recommend planning ahead for the festivals, and any weekend you plan to join us, there are many nearby lodging options.
To find accommodations near Wadmalaw Island, check out Exclusive Properties.
Bears Bluff Meadery
It’s been a long time in the making but we’re so excited to share our newest brand with the world - Bears Bluff Meadery is focused on putting our mark on the world of mead. Arguably the world’s oldest fermented beverage, mead is wine made with a base of honey instead of grapes. We’ve found ourselves experimenting with over 400 different draft mead flavors (think full-bodied seltzer) and if you come out to visit us, we’re likely to have 3 rotating on tap; In addition we have delicious bottled meads for you to sample as well.
CONTACT
PHONE
(843) 559-6867
LOCATION
6775 Bears Bluff Rd.
Wadmalaw Island
South Carolina, 29487
HOURS
Tues-Sat 10am-5pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you'll find answers to (hopefully) everything you're wondering about visiting our vineyard. If something important is missing below, please email or call us, thank you!
is there an entrance fee?
The only time we charge for parking/entrance at the vineyard is during one of our four festivals, if you want to come out and just enjoy the property during our normal business hours, you’re more than welcome to do that free of charge. If you do decide to do a tasting with us, it’s $15/pp and you’ll pay after the tasting when you pick up your souvenir stemless wine glass in our gift shop,
what are the hours for tastings?
We are open 10-5 Tues-Saturday, however, we ask that you arrive by 4PM as our last tasting typically starts right at 4PM and lasts 35-45 minutes.
Are reservations required?
Reservations are NOT required at the vineyard but if you have a large group (6+) and want to guarantee you’ll all be together during your tasting you can book a private tasting with us any day of the week that we’re open. Just grab a time slot here. During the week you’ll enter through our gift shop and get in on the next available tasting which is typically not longer than a 10 minute wait. Saturdays are especially busy for us as we have live music and a food truck every Saturday. On Saturdays you’ll check in at the tent, get an ID bracelet, select a sample wine slushie, and sign up for the next wine tasting - which are usually every hour, on the hour. While you wait you can enjoy a drink from our outside bar: bloody marys, mimosas, wine, wine slushies, and draft meads too!
Are dogs allowed?
Of course, don't leave poor Fido at home! We love our four-legged friends, especially "Irish", "Luca", and “Artemis” our resident winery pups. They can often be found wherever there is food. We do ask that your dogs remain on leashes and that you pick up after your pet. To make it easy, we have a conveniently located doggie waste station near our corn-hole boards. As an even bigger testament to our love of dogs, your dogs are welcome to join you in the tasting room, if you'd like. We do have community water dishes for animals to stay hydrated during the day.
what about my kids?
We are very family-friendly here on the farm. Come for one of our festivals and you’ll find slushies, face-painting, a jump house, or maybe even a bull to ride (mechanical, of course). During the week kids will enjoy our corn-hole boards, swurfer, and definitely our animals. We have pigs, bunnies, ducks, and chickens (they’re friends and roommates). We also have a very friendly miniature Brahma cow named Ida Claire, a goose named Maverick, and some of her duck friends who all live in our vineyard. Come explore our 50 acres and let the kids run off that energy. Kids are also welcome in the winery tasting room where they’ll get a chance to sample our juice, which is extremely healthy and low in sugar, in fact it as no sugar or preservatives - just the goodness of our grapes. So yes, please, bring the kids!
where is the best place to grab lunch?
Well, you're in luck! While there aren't really any restaurant options on Wadmalaw Island (there is an island store called Hum Grocery - across the island near Rockville where you can get sandwiches and such), we do welcome you to bring a picnic lunch out at any time. If you visit us during the week we have fruit, cracker, cheese (and optional meat) trays to compliment our beautiful wines. If you wander over to us on a Saturday, we offer a variety of food available from a local food truck. They typically have anything from sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, tacos, nachos, etc. There's something for everyone in your party and it's all made fresh to order.
Why muscadine wine?
It's pretty simple, actually, muscadines are one of the only grapes native to the US, and one of the first ever cultivated here. They thrive in the heat and humidity of the south and grow into large and sweet fruit. We realize that the typical encounter with muscadine wine is syrupy-sweet, but we find that some of our most popular wines are those we have blended to be more dry. Whether this is your first experience with the "super grape" called muscadine, or you grew up with them growing wild in your backyard; we encourage you to try our take on muscadine wine; we think you'll be surprised.
Do you have anything other than muscadine wine?
Why I’m glad you asked! Yes we do. We offer 5 wines from our 12 acre muscdine vineyard, we also offer 2 blends utilizing muscadine and vinifera grapes, we also have a partnership with a California winery that sends us the grapes/juice and we ferment it into wine here. In addition to ALL of that, we have wine that we make from local fruit and offer seasonally. And if that wasn’t enough we ALSO have meads, both still and draft for your palate pleasure. Oh yeah, and wine slushies, as well as mimosas and bloody marys on Saturday!
How Do I get There?
We have a number of transportation options for you, Uber/Lyft are always an option to come out and see us, but be aware it might not be easy to get a ride back so we recommend letting us know you need help with a ride and we’re happy to get you some assistance. For larger groups we have relationships with some drivers who can happily craft a day of fun for your whole crew. Just call us for details. Finally, we offer a few tours each week, for a chance to meet some new friends and experience all the vineyard and our partners have to offer. Whether you’re into sweet tea or sweet tea vodka, we’ve got you covered. Check out our offerings at Sea Island Tours.
Private and Corporate Parties
Our 50 acres on beautiful Wadmalaw Island is a great place to have your next get-together. Tucked in a quiet corner of Charleston County, we take pride in being Charleston’s only vineyard and winery. For years we’ve been customizing experiences and making lasting memories for groups of all sizes.
Bachelorette Parties
What goes better with a bachelorette party than friends and wine? Nothing. We strive to make your pre-wedding party relaxing, fun, and memorable. We can even customize a party with stops at a brewery, distillery, the winery… or all three! Contact us today for special pricing and to arrange transportation, if needed.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Our 50 acre respite is the perfect place to celebrate life’s events. The property has something for everyone, including the kiddos and the dog, celebrate your next big day at the vineyard with a special private tasting, let us make your day unforgettable.
Corporate outings
Looking for something unique for your next company outing? We can design the perfect trip for you and your employees, no matter what size group you have. We are very flexible and can customize the day to reflect your unique culture. For groups over 12, please call for availability.
If you’re looking for a fabulous place to stay, consider ESPM Vacation Rentals, for beautiful properties on Kiawah. And, as a bonus, if your group is booked with us, you’ll enjoy 10% off your stay!
Deep Water in the Press
Luxe Beat Magazine
Check out our article in Luxe Beat Magazine, “Deep Water Vineyard: Uniquely South Carolina (with a Slight California Twist!)”- thanks to Chris for the lovely words about our vineyard!
Post & Courier
Our popular Grape Stomp festival, in pictures, courtesy of our friends at the Post and Courier!
