Discover: Wine Bars

Wine bars are all the rage. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that New York is currently in “the golden age of wine bars.” While New Orleans has not yet seen its golden age, there are several wine bars around town that will appeal to a wide variety of people.

The Delachaise: Uptown
The Delachaise is the premier wine bar in New Orleans. Located in a narrow building on St. Charles, The Delachaise makes the most of its space with a long bar and banquette seating. It is everything a wine bar should be: warm, intimate, hip and trendy— without being too much so. Named Gambit’s “Best Bar to People-Watch,” The Delachaise attracts a diverse set of Uptown customers. The Delachaise serves a distinctive selection of wines, beer, and liquor. The Delachaise was an early adopter of the gastropub concept, with an extensive menu of upscale bar food. The pommes frites, fried in goose fat, are craved by many. Daily specials are listed on the chalkboard. No happy hour, but The Delachaise offers a red and a white wine for $5 each day. If you are Uptown and want to enjoy great wine and food, The Delachaise is where you want to be.

Clever: Mid City
Clever is a wine bar adjacent to Cork & Bottle in the American Can Company. Clever has a carefully chosen selection of wines by the glass and beer, as well as a small list of specialty cocktails. Clever’s atmosphere is laid back and intimate, with an eclectic assortment of furniture arranged into several conversation areas. You can enjoy your wine while you chill out to live music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Clever’s happy hour is 5-7 P.M. Tuesdays through Fridays, featuring a choice of four $4 wines and no corkage (buy your favorite bottle next door!). If you are looking for a great neighborhood wine bar, head to Clever in Mid City.

W.I.N.O.: Warehouse Distric
W.I.N.O., Wine Institute of New Orleans, is perfect for anyone that likes to explore wine in an informal setting. W.I.N.O offers 120 wines dispensed by Enomatic machines- just use your card (like a debit card) to serve yourself wine by the ounce, half glass, or full glass. W.I.N.O. has an extremely casual vibe. W.I.N.O.’s front room is cozy; the back room is far more expansive, with several tables and plenty of room to spread out. It is great for groups but is also ideal for the solo wine drinker that just wants to try a few new wines. If you are hungry, W.I.N.O. serves cheese, pâté, and other light fare. W.I.N.O. is also a school, offering classes to educate its customers. The current schedule is available on W.I.N.O.’s web site. Whether it’s for a class or just to explore, check out W.I.N.O. in the Warehouse District.

Oak: Carrollton

Wine lovers in the Carrollton neighborhood have longed to have a bar to call their own. Oak, a bright, white, expansive wine bar, filled the void on Oak Street. Trendy and modern, Oak’s space is occupied by a mammoth bar, a small stage, lots of tables, and banquette seating. Oak’s lengthy wine list is divided into categories by taste, such as "flirting with oak," "splendor in the grass." Under the direction of Patois chef Aaron Burgau, Oak dishes up an ambitious menu of small plates. There is also a creative cocktail list, with drinks cleverly named after musicians. Oak has something for everyone, including nightly live music and two large screen televisions. On weekend nights, Oak is one of the city’s hottest tables, operating at full capacity. To experience the latest scene in wine and food, visit Oak.