Fine Dining Wine List in the CBD
Central Business District · New Orleans · Contemporary French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed February 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Restaurant August's wine list reflects the restaurant's upscale French approach — proper glassware, attentive service, and a selection that skews classic European. This is a CBD fine dining establishment that takes wine seriously, though you'll pay the premium that comes with white tablecloths and tuxedoed servers.
The list leans heavily into French regions you'd expect: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, with respectable depth in premier cru offerings. There's a solid California section for guests who want familiar ground, and enough champagne to start any celebration properly. The selection plays it safe rather than adventurous — you won't find natural wines or obscure regions here, but you will find classic producers done right. It's the kind of list built for expense accounts and special occasions rather than casual experimentation.
The glass program offers about a dozen pours that rotate seasonally, covering the expected bases. You'll find a solid Chablis, a reliable Pinot Noir, maybe a Sancerre for starters. Nothing groundbreaking but nothing wrong either — these are crowd-pleasing selections served at proper temperature in appropriate stems. Pours run $14-22, which tracks for this level of service.
Domaine Laroche Chablis Saint Martin — $68
Classic unoaked Chardonnay that pairs with half the menu and drinks well above its modest price point
Chinon from Bernard Baudry
Most guests skip Loire reds, but this Cabernet Franc has the earthiness and acidity to cut through rich sauces without the Bordeaux markup
House Champagne by the glass
At $24 a pour, you're better off committing to a bottle of Crémant or upgrading to an actual grower champagne
White Burgundy from Olivier Leflaive + Gulf Fish with Beurre Blanc
That buttery Chardonnay minerality mirrors the classic French butter sauce while the acidity keeps it from getting heavy
✔️ The Bottom Line
Restaurant August delivers exactly what you'd expect from a high-end French restaurant in New Orleans — a solid, safe wine list with proper service and premium pricing. Come for celebrations and client dinners, not casual wine exploration.
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Chemin a La Mer is a solid steakhouse wine list wearing a French accent — dependable, occasionally exciting, and priced for the occasion rather than the adventurous drinker. If you're here for the river views and a bone-in cut, the wine list will take care of you without surprises.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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The Country Club is a genuinely wild New Orleans experience that happens to have a respectable, fairly priced wine list attached — and that's more than most places with a pool and a clothing policy can say. Send a friend here for the vibe, tell them to order the Riesling with the shrimp and grits, and let the afternoon take care of itself.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Tableau is a reliable, well-curated stop for serious wine drinkers who also want one of the better dining rooms in the French Quarter. The list earns its Wine Spectator nod — just keep an eye on which bottles you're reaching for if the check matters.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
French Quarter / Riverfront · New Orleans · Creole
Miss River earns its Wine Spectator nod — this is a genuinely thoughtful list tucked inside a hotel restaurant, with a real sommelier and real producers backing it up. Markup keeps it from being a destination for the wine alone, but paired with the food, it's one of the better all-in dining experiences on the river.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Warehouse District · New Orleans · Regional
Meril is a reliable wine destination in a city that doesn't always take its wine lists seriously — with a real sommelier, a credible California-France selection, and fair pricing, it earns its Award of Excellence the honest way. Send a friend here, tell them to look past the obvious Napa picks, and let Lauren Briley's list do the rest.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
French Quarter · New Orleans · French, European
MaMou is a Burgundy love letter set inside a French Quarter bistro, and for the right diner — someone who wants to eat duck confit and drink Drouhin — it absolutely delivers. Just know what you're walking into: a focused, France-first list with prices that reflect it.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Knife Pleat is the rare restaurant where the wine program earns its Michelin-starred company — deep French list, a somm who knows it, and a pairing format that actually delivers. The markups are what they are at this level, but if you're coming here, you already knew this wasn't going to be cheap.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
East Burnside · Portland · Contemporary French
Le Pigeon's wine program is the real thing — a deep, France-obsessed list run by people who know exactly what they're doing. Yes, the markups on the high end sting, but the entry-level picks are honest and the staff can actually talk you through it, which puts this firmly in must-visit territory for anyone who takes wine seriously.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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