The Best Spots in New Orleans to Drink Wine
Editor's note: Sommelier and contributing editor Andrew McFetridge previously shared his picks for Upper East Side Wine Bars and West Village Wine Bars.
New Orleans
New Orleans is famous for many things, including Mardi Gras, being the birthplace of jazz music, and being home to several iconic cocktails, such as the Sazerac and Vieux Carré. However, The Big Easy has a growing community of wine-focused establishments (and those who appreciate them) that are showcasing their love of the vine through innovation and creativity, which reach far beyond expectations.
Our collection features the best places to drink wine in The Crescent City, where each showcases extraordinary wine selections, a chill atmosphere, tasty cuisine (NOLA is a food city, after all), great folks, and hospitality - and, as always, is listed in no particular order. This list is not exhaustive, as the city offers numerous excellent options for wine enthusiasts.
Pluck Wine Bar
722 Girod Street
Pluck wine bar
This 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist wine bar is stylish and inviting, with just the right amount of fancy. Located in the Warehouse District, Pluck’s wine list is bursting with energy. The by-the-glass list is extensive, with a few seemingly “plucked” from obscurity. Don’t worry, the passionate sommeliers are more than able to extend a helping hand. The thoughtful outline of the list makes it easily navigable for both novices and experts who aren’t in the mood to think. Each sommelier has their own page dedicated to their favorite by-the-bottle wines of the moment, providing a relatable and approachable way to start a conversation about the selections. A small-but-mighty cheese selection is available, along with a classic jambon-beurre sandwich, yellowfin tartare, and other tasty treats. Prices are fair, and vibes are friendly.
Wines to try
Pino Román, Semillon - Itata Valley, Chile 2022
This skin-contact white is electric. Golden pear, orange pith, and a touch of herbaceousness. Coming from Coelemu in Itata’s coastal range.
Poderi Cellario ‘É Grino’ Grignolino - Piedmont, Italy NVFun n’ flirty juicy red that's delightful served chilled. The Holy Trinity of red fruit - raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries- makes this a divine wine.
Really Really Nice Wines
3500 Magazine Street
Really Really Nice Wines photo credit Madeline Rose @ladymadrama
If you’re staying in the French Quarter, the best thing you can do for your sanity is to GTFO for a minute. Take the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar and head over to the Garden District to delight in some low-key neighborhood-y vibes at Really Really Nice Wines, an adorable plant-filled natural wine-focused bar and retail shop blended into one. Here, you can enjoy a fairly priced, dazzling glass of wine from their rotating selections while browsing the thoughtfully curated shelves. Not ready for your nice time to end? Purchase and pop a bottle (with a $10 service fee) and enjoy some snackies at the bar, such as deviled eggs, smoked fish dip, or duck fat popcorn. Stay awhile, the folks here are just like the wine, really, really nice.
Wines to Try
Division Winemaking Co. ‘L’Orange’ 2024 - Oregon
A playful kitchen sink blend of pinot gris, riesling, gewurztraminer, among others, brimming with green herbs, marigolds, and bright acidity.
Guimaro, Mencia 2023 - Ribera Sacra, Spain
Sourced from multiple plots of 40+ year-old vines, this vino tinto is passionate and firm, singing with notes of ripe plums and rocky minerality.
Compère Lapin
535 Tchoupitoulas Street
Compère Lapin
Named after the cunning rabbit in the Caribbean folktale of the same name, this Warehouse District restaurant outsmarts most with its original and thrilling wine list and passionately crafted Caribbean-Creole Cuisine. Chef Nina Compton, runner-up of Top Chef Season 11, is the creative culinary force behind the restaurant, which has a wine collection (and fabulous rare rum offerings) with an equal amount of gumption. Jumping from the pages are all the French and Italian wines your heart can desire, captivating Chilean and Argentinian wines, and salty n’ sexy island treasures. Black-owned wineries, such as Ntsiki Biyela’s Aslina (South Africa’s Winemaker of the Year 2009), are also celebrated. The mouthwatering fried chicken with jerk honey butter and coconut grits was destined for a bottle of cold Laherte Frères blanc de blancs. Hop to it!
Wines to Try
Maitre de Chai, Sparkling Chenin Blanc NV - Clarksburg, California
Crisp and toasty melange of orchard fruit and white flowers from Yolo County, California.
Durigutti ‘Proyecto las Compuertas’ Criolla Chica 2022 - Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina
A quaint, chilled red that exudes delightful pomegranate and red berry notes with a splash of blood orange pith. Sure to cool the heat from outside and on your plate.
Pêche
800 Magazine Street
Pêche, New Orleans
What’s a visit to New Orleans without indulging in all the local seafood? Chef Donald Link, a James Beard Award Winner (Best American Cookbook, 2009), is at the helm of this vessel, serving fresh catches cooked over open coals —a rustic, old-school approach. The wine list makes waves serving all the best pairing wines for seafood: Champagne, Grüner, Vinho Verde, and other favorites. Standouts from the menu include catfish in chili broth, baked drum, seafood gumbo (every corner spot in the city offers gumbo, bien sȗr, but do not miss this one), and Gulf Coast oysters. These gargantuan bivalves look like something from the prehistoric era, but with enough cocktail sauce and a splash of Txaolina rosé, these monsters will slide right down.
Wines to Try
Quinta de Ermizio - Vinho Verde, Portugal 2024
A blend of loureiro and trajadura from estate vineyards. This branco bursts with green apple freshness and finishes with a delectable sea salt minerality.
Domaine Marie Berenice, Rosé - Bandol, France 2023
An exceptional food rosé with an alluring onion-skin color that emits gorgeous yellow peach, tart strawberry, and white cranberry aromas.
Patron Saint
1152 Magazine Street Ste. 101
Patron Saint photo credit Randy P Schmidt
This Lower Garden District wine bar and shop is another example of the innovative spirit of New Orleans, courtesy of yet another James Beard-recognized creative mind. Husband-and-wife team Leslie Pariseau and Tony Biancosino stock their shelves with everything from the enchanting to classic, and even then, there’s a fun plot twist. Imbibe on one of their rotating by-the-glass options while you browse the shelves and ooh and ahh at the splashy labels. The wine is in good company with a range of spirits and liqueurs, and some yummy foodstuffs for sale, such as caviar, tinned fish, cheese, and chocolate. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with cozy tables to enjoy a book or a mid-afternoon date. Guests are also able to pop a retail bottle and enjoy at the bar - with a small fee, of course. The family owns the pizzeria and tavern next door as well, aptly named: Saint Pizza.
Wines to Try
Martin Texier ‘Brézème Blanc’ Rhone Valley, France 2021
A luxurious and approachable roussanne from the Texier family. An exuberant golden yellow color with a textural mouthfeel and herbaceous perfumed nose.
L’Arco ‘Rosso del Veronese’ Veneto, Italy 2021
The perfect pizza wine! A Veronese blend with sensuous red fruit and an underbrush of aromatic green herbs.
Jewel of the South
1026 St. Louis Street
Jewel of the South photo credit Josh Brasted
If you don’t want to venture too far from the excitement of Bourbon Street (hey, we get it) but need a reprieve from the frozen, gimmicky drinks, this award-winning cocktail tavern also boasts a beguiling, thirst-quenching wine list. The small-but-mighty carte-du-vin keeps it interesting and familiar, pouring such gems by the glass like Uruguayan gewurztraminer and the homespun French Fer Servadou alongside classics like Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The scrumptious food options are absolutely a must-try, especially on Wednesday, when caviar happy hour is in full abundance. Calvisius Black, Siberian Royal, and Ossestra - take your pick, just don’t forget to sip along with something sparkling. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Wines to Try
Waris-Larmandier ‘Particules Crayeuses’ Blanc de Blancs NV - Champagne, France
Zippity-do-dah! Bright with taut bubbles and an unctuous chalkiness that finishes with some electric acidity.
Folk Machine ‘Film & Camera’ Valdiguie 2023 - Mendocino, California
This easy-drinking vibe-y red from NoCal is a rip-roaring good time with its plush blue-black fruit profile and floral aromatics.
Honorable Mentions
Bacchanal Wine
600 Poland Avenue
This Bywater neighborhood spot is a go-to for live music, tasty snacks, with numerous gulpable wines to choose from.
The Little House
640 Bouny Street
A quaint local haunt in Algiers Point with outdoor seating, dips and cheeses, and worldly wine selections.
Tell Me Bar
1235 St. Thomas Street
A chill natural wine bar in the Lower Garden District with a moody outdoor space perfect for a first date.