“Taste, taste, taste.” That’s Darlene Mann-Clarke’s advice for novices taking their first dive into the wide world of wine. That’s also what she had to do over years in order to earn her certification as a Level II Sommelier from the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers, the organization that sets the global standard of excellence for beverage service within the hospitality industry.
As a wine consultant for distributor Palmetto Fine Wines, Mann-Clarke puts her knowledge to good use when dealing with clients, including restaurant wine buyers, private clubs, and independent retailers. If her name sounds familiar, you may remember her as the director of the wine program at American Grocery, the farm-to-table restaurant she and her husband, Chef Joe Clarke, operated on Main Street from 2007 to 2017.
Wine, however, was not her first career choice. The Greenwood, South Carolina, native majored in theater at USC and went on to get a graduate degree in Texas, where she appeared in shows including Walker, Texas Ranger and the PBS series Wishbone. After grad school, she relocated to New York, where she worked as a server in upscale restaurants by night and auditioned for acting parts by day.
Though she was introduced to fine wines in New York, her next move, to LA, turned out to be a more immersive wine experience. While working the front of the house at the acclaimed (and now shuttered) Table 8, helmed by Chef Govind Armstrong, she used her spare time to go to vineyards in Santa Barbara, the Central Coast, and beyond to learn and taste. It was during an excursion farther north to Napa Valley that she uncorked her potential and decided to pursue a career in wine.
Opportunity knocked when Table 8 needed someone to manage their wine list. After Mann-Clarke made her interest in the job known, the owners of the restaurant propelled her to get her Level I Sommelier certification and take over their wine list. “It was a huge opportunity for me,” she recalls. “I took the Level I test and got the top score out of 35 people.”
She may have majored in theater, but this sommelier’s not acting when she proclaims that her favorite part of the job is wine education. Case in point in the Uncommon Wines program she created for the company, presenting little-known wines from around the globe for client events and tastings.
Favoring wines that “under-promise and over-deliver,” Mann-Clarke gravitates to pinot noir, nebbiolo, and grenache, appreciating these varietals for being “enticing and exotic on the nose” and “slaying with their affinity of minerality and elegance.”
When asked what she enjoys most about working in the wine industry, she harkens back to education. “It’s the everlasting opportunity to learn something new,” claims the arts major. “I’ll never know everything about wine, but it’s the only science I really get.”
Summer Wine Recommendations
Lighter-bodied, higher-acidity, lower-tannin wines are what Mann-Clarke recommends for South Carolina’s humidity-laden summer climate.
- Las Lilas Vinho Verde Blanc (Portugal) – Vinho Verde, meaning “green wine,” refers to a wine meant to be consumed young. This citrusy, dry white wine with a little effervescence is perfect for sipping on the porch. $12–$15
- Jolie Folle Rosé (France) – A rosé of grenache and syrah with juicy strawberry and watermelon flavors and racy acidity, Jolie Folle is bottled in a 1-liter size so it’s perfect for a backyard summer party. $15–$18
- Lone Birch Riesling (Washington State) – This family-owned winery makes refreshing estate-grown Riesling that is fermented nearly dry. With just a touch of residual sugar and low alcohol, this riesling over-delivers for the price point. $12–$15
- Wonderment Dutton-Campbell Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma, California) – Made by a South Carolina native, winemaker Stephanie Cook, this pinot is super silky and velvety with notes of bing cherries, tea rose, and tobacco leaf. Cook knows how to create balance in her small-production wines. $45–$50
- Proyecto Las Compuertas Criolla Goblet (Argentina) – Criolla, an under-appreciated varietal that the Durigutti brothers grow, are some of the oldest vines on the estate, planted in 1943. The wine opens with fruity aromas of strawberries, quince, cherries, and fresh plums, as well as freshly pressed grapes. The mouth feel is dry and refreshing; chill it slightly on a hot day and you’re set. $20–$25
