The annual Charleston Wine + Food took place last weekend, and as usual, the event offered an incredible taste of Southern food and drink culture. The drinks programming was larger and better than ever, with seminars dipping deeper into beer, spirits and cocktails. A “Big Daddy Bourbon” seminar took over Proof, featuring a guided tasting with Preston Van Winkle; William Grant & Sons’ Charlotte Voisey teamed up with Chef Jamie Simpson from The Chef’s Garden to explore cocktail and food pairings; Josh Harris and Scott Baird of The Bon Vivants shared their knowledge of mezcal on a panel with agave expert Ivan Saldana; and the annual Iron Mixologist competition, judged by Imbibe publisher Karen Foley, took over the American Theater, where Bar Mash’s Teddy Nixon (featured on our January/February 2016) took home top honors.

Scenes from the 2016 Charleston Wine + Food