November’s cooler weather is the perfect time for a warming snifter of cognac at the Windsor Court’s Polo Club. Their selection is one of the best in the city and includes vintage Darroze Bas Armagnacs, Domaine D’Esperance, Navarre Souvenir Impérial, and, notably, Pierre Ferrand Légendaire. Pierre Ferrand Légendaire is among the rarest cognacs in the world, a prestige blend of very old eaux-de-vie — some dating back to the 19th century. Complex and luminous, it’s a spirit that invites you to linger, sip by sip, in the warmth of The Polo Club. 300 Gravier St., 504-523-6000, thewindsorcourt.com.
Wine and Dine
Wine fans should head downtown for two special wine dinners this month. On Nov. 14, Briquette, which has won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the past five years, will host a dinner featuring Wente Family Wines. The five-course dinner includes the Nth Degree and Reserve wines, normally only available at the winery in California. Guests will be guided through the tasting by Karl Wente, Wente Estates’ Chief Winemaker and a fifth-generation wine grower.
On Nov. 19, Café Normandie at the Higgins Hotel is offering “An Allied Expedition of International Flavors,” with dishes inspired by Allied nations including Poland, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Wine pairings for each course include J. de Villebois Cremant, Leo’s Cuvee Augusta Rose and Pichot Vouvray Chenin Blanc. WWII historian and author John C. McManus, PhD. will be on hand to share his insights. 701 S Peters St., 504-547-6330, briquette-nola.com; 1000 Magazine St., 504-528-1941, nationalww2museum.org/events
Parleaux Beer Lab
Bywater brewery Parleaux Beer Lab pour a regular rotation of new releases, which means they have a new beer on tap every two weeks or so. This approach encourages flexibility in the team’s creative process. A particularly notable new release is Butcher’s Brau, brewed in partnership with local restaurant Butcher. The restaurant smokes a German Pilsner malt using Louisiana pecan wood and that malt is featured in the beer. The style is known as a “rauchbier” which means “smoked beer,” in German. Other November and December releases will include Cambium, a classic dark Czech lager; Niccolò, a European-style pilsner brewed with Italian barley; and Southern Fox, a saison with muscadine harvested from Parleaux Beer Lab’s very own beer grove, fermented with the micro flora on the skins of the grapes, and rested on French oak. 634 Lesseps St., 504-702-8433, parleauxbeerlab.com.
Fall Flavors
Uptown favorite Mr. Mao has unveiled its fall bar menu. New additions include the Moroccan sidecar, a spicy riff on the classic drink which swaps bourbon for brandy and includes ginger, pomegranate molasses and cardamom bitters. Another autumnal standout is the King Khoung. This Old Fashioned-inspired cocktail mixes crème de cacao, banana liqueur and Mekhong, Thailand’s first domestically produced golden spirit. Known as “The Spirit of Thailand,” and similar to rum, Mekhoung flavor profile includes holiday spices like cinnamon, star anise and evergreen. 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-345-2056, mistermaonola.com.
Global Sipping
Nikkei Izakaya, located adjacent to The Broadside and across from the Broad Theater, serves an eclectic menu, inspired by the cuisine of Japanese immigrant communities, with a bar menu that is equally inventive. Sakes include the Lucky Dog Sake Juice Box, Tokeubetsu Honjozo, Hakutsuru Sayuri Nigori. Sparkling sakes like Zipang sparkling and Awahizuku sparkling are also appealing. They also serve Honkaku, a spirit similar to vodka, made from sweet potatoes. Other Japanese flavors come from Chiran green tea and Oka Yuzu liqueur. The daily happy hour (except Tuesdays), 5 to 7 p.m., includes an $8 hibiscus margarita, $6 wells, house wines and beer specials, with additional specials featured throughout the week. 600 N Broad St., 504-224-5657 nikkeiizakaya.com
Thanksgiving Sipping
Each year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, Faubourg Wines celebrates its 13th anniversary, which also happens to be the store’s busiest day of the year. The neighborhood wine shop will be sampling their favorite Thanksgiving wines throughout the day, including Champagne. Shucked, raw Little Moon oysters will be available for snacking, and un-shucked 25-count sacks will also be available for take-home purchase. Additionally, the weekly Wednesday wine tastings, on hiatus for the summer, have returned, while the in-house wine bar offers an ever-changing selection of eight wines by the glass. 2805 St. Claude Ave., 504-342-2217, faubourgwines.com
