Wine, pizza make a perfect combination at Social Wine Bar

I've never been much of a wine person. Give me a beer or a cocktail and I'm set.

But recently, I had a delicious glass of red with my gourmet pizza, thanks to Social bartender Christian Broder. He knew exactly what would tempt my not-so-wino palate. He also makes excellent cocktails and knows the beers du jour for the week. Visit him, and you might decide to try something new.

Q: How long have you been at Social?

A: About seven months.

Q: Do you like it here?

A: I do like it. It's spontaneous, and it's very different from my last night job. I also like that it's upscale yet casual enough that you can wear jeans.

Q: You guys are a wine bar, primarily. What current wines do you suggest to customers?

A: On a hot summer day, I like the Vino Verde from Portugal. The name comes from the practice of harvesting grapes right before they are ripe, in the "green" period, so it is true to its name in a way. For red, I would do the Twisted Douro. It's really woodsy and rich, great for a steak.

Q: What cocktail do you pride yourself on?

A: I actually make a lot of mojitos. I also make red sangria. It has the house red wine, peach schnapps, Captain Morgan rum, Amaretto and fruit juice. People like it in the summer and the winter!

Q: Do people order many beers here?

A: They do. And we've got an extensive craft beer selection. Our draft beers change every week.

Q: What's the tastiest thing on the menu?

A: It's difficult to say. The short rib is nice. I would say that the Tuna Sashimi is my favorite.

Q: What holiday is best for bartending?

A: The Fourth of July was great. And I would think that Halloween would be a lot of fun here, too. I haven't experienced it yet.

Q: What other places do you frequent?

A: I hang out at Closed for Business a great deal.

Q: What advice would you offer other Charleston bartenders?

A: I barely listen to my own advice.

Q: Do you have a hangover tip for us?

A: Coffee, and an Alka-Seltzer.