Tourists Pour In For New Orleans Wine And Food Experience

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is gearing up for the 26th return of fans of five days of festivities centered around the best local cuisine and national and international wines. The event, which will be held May 23 through 27, will feature wine dinners, grand tastings, and the always popular Royal Street Stroll, among several other wine focused events.

This year's celebration will kick off on Wednesday, May 23, with a plethora of wine dinners which will be held at 25 of New Orleans' top restaurants throughout the city, including Brennan's, Kingfish, DTB, and August. Every restaurant will partner with a different winery to create perfect wine pairings for each dinner.

Thursday's itinerary will begin with VINOLA!, which offers an opportunity for wine lovers who have a more refined palate to taste a variety of rare and valuable wines—all of which have a price tag of $75 or more. This event will take place from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Omni Royal Orleans, and will be followed by the much anticipated Royal Street Stroll beginning at 5:30 p.m. This beloved event gives attendees the opportunity to shop in the exquisite antique and art galleries along Royal Street while sipping wine and savoring some of New Orleans' best bites. The evening will end with the Great Escape After Party presented by Seagram's Escapes at the city's premiere dance spot, Gold Mine Saloon.

If you want to get your fill of a variety of wine while indulging in a vast offering of New Orleans culinary delights, purchase a ticket to one of two Grand Tasting events, which will take place on Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26. These events will serve over 1,000 vintages and cuisine from more than 75 New Orleans chefs and bring together wine makers and connoisseur from all over the world and some of the country's best wineries.