THE POUR

We’re not sure who decided to put National Margarita Day (February 22nd) in the coldest month of the year, but with these frigid temperatures and the pandemic keeping us from our winter retreats south of the border, it’s the perfect season to tip back a cool drink and dream of warmer times.

Game Day might look a bit different this year than most, but you can still kick back and watch the big game with your favorite game day foods! Which leads to the next big question: what will you use to toast your team’s good fortune? 

Choosing the right beverage always starts with what you intend to serve on the plate, so we’ve put together a list matching the classic game day dishes with the best wine pairings available. Whether it’s hot and spicy, creamy, or hearty, following these simple tips will ensure that no matter which team you’re cheering for, you’re sure to score very, very big on Sunday. Let’s kick off!

The secret to a fabulous winter wine is finding one that can go toe-to-toe with the flavors on the table. Hearty foods need hearty wines. Not elegance, but strength: something robust and assertive that can hold its own with the filling meals we eat in wintertime, like pot roast, lasagna, bread soup, short ribs, and more.

Peppermint schnapps tastes like a candy cane in liquid form: sweet but not too sweet, minty with a nice, peppery spice. Unlike liqueurs and crème de menthe, it's got a subtler sweetness that makes it an ideal choice for cocktails without skimping on crisp minty flavor. Warm drinks with peppermint schnapps are also the perfect way to stay toasty during the midwinter chill. (You're just keeping warm! Nothing wrong with keeping warm!)

According to historians, Winston Churchill had a half-bottle of Pol Roger Champagne served on his breakfast tray every morning. When asked, “Why, Winston, do you drink champagne?” he is reported to have said, “In defeat, I need it. In victory, I deserve it.”

Maybe you're staying in with close family; maybe you're celebrating together from afar. Whether you need it for your table or your generous host's, wine is one of the quickest ways to complete a great Thanksgiving meal.

Tomorrow is the most wine-derful time of the year: Beaujolais Nouveau Release Day! We're very excited about this year's crop, so we wanted to give you a little bit more information about the wines we've selected to carry at Haskell's this season.

This story was originally written by Minneapolis-based writer Dave Arundel.

This Veterans Day, we'd like to share this little-known story about Haskell's, World War II, a veteran named Armand Crump — and some missing whiskey.

Red wine is a great choice for fall weather and the meals that go with it. But how do you pick the right one? Of course, the choice comes down to your individual taste, but there are a few ways to evaluate red wine that can help you find a new favorite or just make the perfect pairing.

It might be ironic that Halloween will be one of the least scary things about 2020. But in a time when it's hard to get together, bonding over drinks with friends is just what so many of us need to feel a bit more normal. Fortunately, we've got a whole list of Halloween cocktails to try at home after all the tricks have been treated and all the Monsters have been Mashed!