Nestled within the confines of The Village at Sandhill in Northeast Columbia, is one of my favorite local haunts. Corked is a small locally owned wine shop that offers a little bit of everything from the world of wine. Everything from gift baskets, to wine stoppers, even wine tastings which are a favorite amongst the regulars that I know.

 You don't have to be a wine expert to enjoy the friendly and laid back atmosphere of this fantastic establishment. I myself am a novice in the world of wine however, the stores owner, Kevin Niemann, and his years of experience always points me in the right direction. That in the end is more than worth the trip to Corked, as you always get friendly and professional advice from an expert who in my experience is always more than willing to give a hand.

 But in case you do want to become an expert yourself, their website has a calender of events that sometimes includes wine tasting classes. They are sure to beef up your wine vocabulary and offer a great education in the art of wine appreciation.

 If it just so happens that wine is not your thing, but you do like a good beer once and a while, well Corked has you covered there too. I myself find their specialty beers to be my personal favorite. They have a rotating stock of fine, high gravity beers from around the world. Several of them that I have had the pleasure of sampling are specialty beers that are sometimes very hard to find.

 They like the wine, range in price and I for one find the prices to be quite reasonable. I also find the selection to be much better than what you will find at the local pub or bar, however, Kevin usually has several of them chilled if you feel like you want to stick around for an adult beverage or two while at the shop. Though I do feel it important to mention as a public service announcement, I have found that these beers are a little stronger than your average beer from Publix, so try not to get too carried away all at once.

 Like the wine tastings, Corked also does the occasional beer tasting, and it's an excellent opportunity to broaden your horizons.

  So if you're looking for something to do on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon, I recommend that you head down to 661-3 Promenade Place between the fountain and Belk in the Village at Sandhills and give Corked a try. Wine tastings start at 6pm on Friday evenings and at 3pm on Saturday afternoon. However, if you just can't wait for another tasting to come around, Kevin is open from 11am to 9pm Monday through Saturday and I'm sure he would be more than happy to have you stop by for a visit. Who knows, you may see me there.

Visit their website at www.corkedwineshop.com or give them a call at 803-708-4755.

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