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July 8-12
Stir your soul at the 7th annual Tales of the Cocktail event. With more than 100 events, this is on the country’s premier celebrations of spirits. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community---mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs---for a five-day celebration of the history and the craft of the cocktail. Participants attend cocktail hours, symposiums, seminars, luncheons, book auctions and sales, beer tastings, absinthe tastings, and one of the highlights of the event, the spirited dinners. These are dinners at some of the best restaurants in the city, featuring dinner pairings with unique menus designed by local chefs and top bar chefs. Each course is paired with a cocktail and guests dine and mingle with the mixologists during dinner. For more information or to reserve, call 504-948-0511.
July 28
As part of Galatoire's 10th annual Summer Wine Dinner series, the restaurant will feature Gramercy Cellars from Washington. Executive chef Brian Landry will develop unique menu creations to pair with the wine selections. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the upstairs dining room. For reservations, please contact Christi Gaudet at 504-525-2021. Galatoire's, 209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-525-2021.
August 25
As part of Galatoire's 10th annual Summer Wine Dinner series, the restaurant will feature Ant Hill Farm Vineyards from California. Executive chef Brian Landry will develop unique menu creations to pair with the wine selections. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the upstairs dining room. For reservations, please contact Christi Gaudet at 504-525-2021. Galatoire's, 209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-525-2021.
Through 2009
The Besh Steakhouse at Harrah's, the steakhouse run by chef John Besh within Harrah's New Orleans Casino, has a new special offering patrons unlimited quantities of wine during early-week dinners. Add $20.09 to your check and the staff promises not to let your glass go empty, refilling it with a selection of American reds or whites. The special pricing is good Mondays through Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Lunch & Dinner daily. The Besh Steakhouse at Harrah's, 228 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-533-6111.
Wednesdays
Ohm Lounge, the Asian-themed bar in the Central Business District, hosts its "Wine Down Wednesday" each week from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The bar offers free wine tastings and light hors d'oeuvres as well as specials on other wines by the glass. For more information, visit www.ohm-lounge.com. Ohm Lounge, 135 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-587-1330.
Wednesdays
The upscale, pan-Latin American seafood restaurant Rio Mar recently added a tapas bar and expanded lounge where it now hosts Wednesday evening wine tastings. From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., guests may sample four wines, usually from Spain and South America, and an array of tapas for $20. The Wednesday tasting is sometimes usurped by a private party, so be sure to call first. Rio Mar, 800 S. Peters St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-525-3474.
Thursdays
The Country Club Restaurant, a casually elegant space in the Bywater neighborhood, hosts a decadent wine and cheese tasting each Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant puts out samples of a dozen or so artisanal cheeses collected from the Uptown purveyors Stein's Market and Deli and St. James Cheese Co. At the same time, the bar serves up samples from any (or even all) of the wines on its by-the-glass list. The price for both is $19 a person, and for that you can nosh and drink your way through the entire early evening. There is usually live music in the lounge as well. For more information, visit www.thecountryclubneworleans.com. The Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., New Orleans, LA 70117, 504-945-0742.
Thursdays
Savvy Gourmet, the gourmet shop/restaurant/cooking school, hosts a weekly happy hours tasting from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. led by a member of their culinary team. For more information, visit www.savvygourmet.com. Savvy Gourmet, 4519 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115, 504-895-2665.
Fridays
At the end of the week, Cork & Bottle Fine Wines opens a few bottles and pours free samples for customers from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. These laidback tastings sometimes have a uniting theme, a guest presenter or a selection of Spanish tapas to snack on. Other times the selections are guided entirely by the whim of proprietor Jon Smith. For more information, visit www.corknola.com. Cork & Bottle, 3700 Orleans Ave., #1C, New Orleans, LA 70119, 504-281-4384.
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