Best Wine Shops in New Orleans

Are you a wine lover like I am? If so, you’re in for a treat here. There are several wine shops around New Orleans that offer high quality, reasonably priced bottles, and they aren’t the generic feeling of a grocery store. Over the years, I’ve visited all of these establishments around town, so I thought I’d share the wealth with you in case you might want to pick up a bottle for, you know, any day of the week. Is it ever a bad time for a delicious glass of wine, after all?

Whether you’re buying a host gift, having your own personal wine tasting at home with friends, going on a romantic picnic date, or just want to treat yourself after a long work week, these are some of my favorites to indulge. Anytime I’ve gone to a grocery store for wine, I am grossly unimpressed with the selection. When I enter any one of these stores I’m about to share with you, I feel special, I enjoy the buying process, and come away a little more knowledgeable than when I entered. The passionate wine merchants are ready and willing to help you choose what’s best for you, and you’ll be shocked at the fantastic price points.

Here are my favorite places to buy wine in New Orleans. From Uptown to Bayou St. John to Bywater, you’ll get a wide range of places from which you can purchase your new favorite bottle of wine.

As you know, I am a firm believer in shopping local and shopping small. And if you didn’t know that, you do now. I’m always interested in supporting specialty stores, local farmers, and curated businesses that have just what I need as a consumer. Quality over quantity is a big deal to me, as well as reasonable prices. Yes, these things do co-exist, and they exist within the four walls of each of these wine shops.

You won’t find the boring, mass-produced labels at these shops, at least not en masse. Instead, you’ll get unique imports, see what the staff favorites are, many times a little taste of what they have open at the time of your visit, and hand-picked bottles. They are usually supporting small vineyards themselves, which makes the whole circulation of wine that much sweeter (though I don’t want a sweet wine).

What you’re going to get from the folks who are working at these wine shops:

Respect for your budget

• Asked what you’re using the wine for (cooking, sipping, etc)
• An understanding of your wine preference so they help you choose the right bottle
• Whether you want to stick with classic taste or go off the beaten path

You don’t have to be a wine expert, describing how you want tannins or blackberry hints in your pour. I have had loads of wine in my life, and the most I describe is “French, Italian, light, dry.” I am rarely disappointed at what I end up with, and the employees get a kick out of helping me choose. It’s a fun experience if you let it be.

The Wine Seller

Martin Wine Cellar

Martin Wine Cellar is one of the most popular places to buy wine in New Orleans. It’s an institution and been around for decades, and rightfully so. They have a great selection of wines, easily laid out with labels, and the staff is incredibly helpful. There are a couple of locations, both of which I go to regularly, whether I’m picking up a bottle for myself or for something more specific.

The store is very approachable, and you don’t have to know much about wine to shop there because you will be guided properly. While you’re there, you can also have lunch, pick up some food to-go, attend one of their tastings or wine walkabouts, order from their catering menu, or just enjoy a glass of wine while reading a book. I’m a huge fan, as you can probably tell.

NOLA Wine Merchant

Directly across from Whole Foods on Magazine Street, NOLA Wine Merchant is one of my newer discoveries to buy wine. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the shop, as it wasn’t overly large but had a great selection of wines. The person helping me gave me multiple ideas of what to try, and I was shocked at how reasonable the prices were.

Go to this shop if you want to discover some new-to-you wine labels, want guidance on recommendations, need a quick in-and-out experience, and want your bottle to feel unique and special versus grocery store generic. I’m looking forward to going back for more discoveries from them.

Grand Krewe Fine Wine and Spirits

I stumbled upon Grand Krewe when I was eating at one of my favorite restaurants, Paladar 511 in the Bywater neighborhood, which is adjacent to them. The person working there was wildly knowledgeable about all the wines, and had an equal amount of enthusiasm for each bottle. He personally chose each and every wine in the shop, and I was excited to hear what he had to say.

This is a place that has both wine and spirits, and feels very curated. It’s a great place to go for their weekly wine tastings, ask for honest advice, get a smidge more educated on wine, and want to buy a nicer bottle for yourself or something special that you’re attending. I highly recommend this as a whole experience.

The Wine Seller

I love The Wine Seller! When I’m uptown, I will stop in on occasion to see what Italian or French wines I can get into there. It’s a cozy space located on the corner of Prytania and Robert Streets uptown, and I’m positive you’ll find a perfect bottle for whatever occasion you need it.

No matter your price point or taste, The Wine Seller will have you covered. The staff handpicks everything, and their recommendations do not disappoint. I’ve gone in and asked opinions and I’ve found what I want on my own. This is definitely one of my favorite spots to buy wine, and it’s usually for myself, I have to admit.

Swirl Wines

Jumping over to the Bayou St. John neighborhood, Swirl Wines is a small wine shop with a very laid-back atmosphere. It feels very local and very New Orleans, and its orientation in the city makes it that way. You don’t find many tourists venturing out there, but it’s exactly the place I would want to go if I were visiting and wanted a local vibe.

Swirl is great for their tastings, for staying a while and having a glass of wine there, a great meetup place to start the night, grabbing one of their bottles for a night at your house or at City Park, or a nice, slow evening. It’s approachable and enjoyable and a great shop to buy wine.

Bacchanal

Also included in my favorite bars guide, Bacchanal is a wonderful and quintessential New Orleans venue to buy and to stay for a bottle of wine. It’s a whole experience and vibe in itself, and one that, when you go, you want to keep going back. This is a very neighborhood feel, and people who come to New Orleans regularly love going here as well.

Bacchanal allows you to purchase a wine and leave or you can stay and enjoy it in the courtyard while listening to live music. My recommendation is to go early to secure yourself a seat or table, slowly sip on your vino, and take in the full feel of how we spend time in New Orleans.

Martin Wine Cellar Uptown

As a recap, here are the quick answers as to where you can buy wine outside of grocery stores.

• Martin Wine Cellar
• NOLA Wine Merchant
• Grand Krewe Fine Wine & Spirits
• Swirl Wine Shop
• The Wine Seller
• Bacchanal

Cheers!

I’m proud of our city as a whole in always supporting local businesses, and I hope that this inspires you to keep up that sentiment by shopping at local wine merchants as well. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to walk into one of these places and get a great bottle at a good price. All you have to do is ask, and you will receive the help you need. These are all places I shop myself, and I am so excited to share them with you. Cheers, my dears.

If you liked this guide, you might also like my favorite restaurants in New Orleans or the best bars in New Orleans.

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