Great Gumbo, Forgettable Wine List
Cherry Street · Tulsa · Creole and Cajun · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 12, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The New Orleans vibes are strong at Nola's — vintage speakeasy aesthetic, lively room, classic Creole comfort on every plate. Then you open the wine list and the spell breaks a little. It reads like someone handed a distributor rep a $500 budget and said 'just fill it up.'
This is a grocery store shelf in disguise: La Marca Prosecco, Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Josh Cellars Cab, Cavit Pinot Grigio — the hits are all here, and none of them are actually hits. There's no regional curiosity, no nod to the Southern Louisiana spirit the kitchen is clearly channeling, and nothing that would make a wine-forward diner feel seen. A Muscadet, a Côtes du Rhône, even a domestic Grenache would do so much heavy lifting alongside this food — but that's not the list Nola's built. The 20-to-35-bottle range gives them room to be interesting; they just didn't use it.
Eight to twelve pours by the glass sounds generous until you realize they're all from the same predictable shortlist. The glass options mirror the bottle list almost entirely — no rotation, no seasonal surprises, no reason to stray from ordering a cocktail instead. Honestly, the cocktail program probably earns its name here more than the wine does.
Decoy by Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 — $14/glass, $56/bottle
At 124% markup it's the least-gouged bottle on the list. Decoy isn't groundbreaking but it's a real wine from a real producer, and at this restaurant it's as close to a sensible pour as you're going to find.
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2022
Look, it's not a hidden gem in any wine-nerd sense — but if you're here for shrimp and grits and want something that won't fight the food, the soft, slightly smoky fruit in Meiomi actually does the job. Most people reach for the Cab out of habit; this is the smarter call at the table.
Ménage à Trois Red Blend 2021
A $11 retail bottle marked up to $40 is a hard no. You're paying nearly 4x for a supermarket blend that tastes like it — sweet, simple, and not worth a second glass. Order literally anything else.
Decoy by Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 + Jambalaya
The spice and smoke in the jambalaya need something with enough body and dark fruit to hold up without adding heat — Decoy's soft tannins and black cherry profile absorb the Cajun seasoning without turning bitter. It's the one combo on this list that actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
Nola's is a genuinely fun place to eat Creole food in Tulsa, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in nice stemware. Lean hard into the cocktail menu or bring your own bottle — check if they have a corkage policy, because that might be your best move here.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.