Vodka Buzz

by Mary Ann Hester

Vodka has an unmistakable fire. In fact, you can almost smell the burn before it hits your tongue. Prepare yourself for the new and improved vodka experience, courtesy of Wadmalaw Island, S.C. Infusing vodka with muscadine wine “makes the customary fire associated with vodka fly away.” Hence the name of South Carolina’s Firefly Vodka, a bottle flying off the shelves throughout the state.

Firefly Recipes

Firefly fizz
2 oz Firefly
2 oz fresh grape fruit juice
1 oz fresh orange juice
1/4 oz fresh limejuice
2 oz Sprite or 7up
Fresh grape fruit segment for garnish
Pour all ingredients except Sprite into a tin shaker of ice. Shake and strain into Collins glass of ice. Top drink with Sprite and garnish with fresh grapefruit segment.

Lowcountry Lemonade
1 1/2 oz Firefly
3 oz fresh lemonade
1 oz sweet tea
Lemon wedge for garnish
Pour ingredients into tin shaker of ice. Shake and strain into rocks glass of ice. Garnish with lemon wedge.

Frozen Fruit Fly
1 1/2 oz Firefly
3/4 oz pomegranate liqueur
3/4 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
1/4 oz fresh limejuice
1/2 oz simple syrup
3 fresh strawberries
2 oz fresh blueberries
2 oz fresh raspberries
3 fresh blackberries
5 oz ice
Combine all ingredients into blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into tall glass and garnish with fresh fruit.


Carolina Coffee
1 1/2 oz Firefly
3/4 oz Godiva chocolate cream
3/4 oz Kahlua
4 oz fresh coffee
Fresh whipped cream
Pour ingredients, except whipped cream into a snifter and stir gently. Garnish with fresh whipped cream and a drizzle of Kahlua.

Irvin House Vineyards

It is a certainty that if not for this vineyard, the Firefly vodka would not have been born. Irvin-House Vineyards stands on its own as a homegrown winery with fermented muscadine grapes that evoke wine that grandmother might have made and some that she could never dream of producing. It proudly bills itself as “Charleston’s only domestic winery with working vineyards” and work it is, as they grow their own grapes, harvest them, make and bottle the wine on the property.

Since their first vintage in 2003, Ann and Jim Irwin, the working owners, have developed five variations of the fermented muscadines and produce about 50,000 bottles a year. They ship to all the US states but the majority of their business comes from the tourist industry, which makes their setting right outside Charleston perfect. Their winery at Wadmalaw Island (on the way to Kiawah and Seabrook Islands) is a popular site in the summer with its path through the vineyards, picnic tables, flower and vegetable garden, and requisite shady oak trees with Spanish moss.

And from Thursday through Saturday, chances are you will find personable owners Ann or Jim in the tasting room serving up some of their award winning red and white wines. To find out more about scheduled wine tours, the annual blessing of the vines, the grape stomp, and the art of the wine label, visit their website at www.charlestonwine.com. Irvin-House Vineyards,6775 Bears Bluff Rd.,Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, (843) 559-6867, E-mail: info@charlestonwine.com

© 2007 South Carolina Magazine. To read more articles in South Carolina Magazine, click here

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Vodka Buzzby Mary Ann Hester

Vodka has an unmistakable fire. In fact, you can almost smell the burn before it hits your tongue. Prepare yourself for the new and improved vodka experience, courtesy of Wadmalaw Island, S.C. Infusing vodka with muscadine wine “makes the customary fire associated with vodka fly away.” Hence the name of South Carolina’s Firefly Vodka, a bottle flying off the shelves throughout the state. read more