THE POUR

It’s the time of year when love is in the air and wedding bells are ringing. When planning your special day, there are many checklists to compile and one area we can certainly help with is ensuring you have the perfect wine and beverages to toast the newlyweds. So, here are our time-honored tips on how to choose wine for a wedding and estimate liquor and open bar costs.

Before you pick the wine, here are a few things to consider:

Women have been at the center of the world of spirits for as long as humans have been there has been fermenting and brewing their drinks. Like hops in your beer? Thank Saint Hildegard of Bingen, the German nun and scientist credited with adding the grain in the 12th century. Champagne wouldn’t be the same without Madame Clicquot of Veuve Clicquot, who in the 1800s developed a technique to remove sediment from champagne that's still used today.

Just because we’re in the midst of winter doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot to celebrate. You know February as the month of Valentine’s Day and Black History Month, but is there more if you dig a little deeper: President’s Day.

You might not think President’s Day is something worth celebrating—or what it even is. But what if we told you there are an abundance of interesting facts and glimpses from history about presidents and drinking? It’s true. Some of the past leaders of the United States of America were mighty big fans of alcohol and its many forms and functions.

Let’s start off with the most relevant question and fact to know:

One of the best things about wine tasting is that it’s an experiential (and delicious) way to explore the world. 

Since the Chinese New Year is Saturday, January 25, we’re going to do some exploring. To celebrate, we're not going to focus on the Chinese New Year, but rather, the lesser known world of Chinese wine.

Wine from China performed well at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2019 and continues to rise in popularity. Will it be a breakout star in 2020? Nothing’s certain, but it’s worth knowing these basics about Chinese wine.

Each third Thursday of November, French winemakers release the first wine of the season – making November 21, 2019, Beaujolais Nouveau Day. In fact, under French law, it’s released at precisely 12:01 a.m. each third Thursday of November, making it one of the biggest wine release parties around the world.

So the question begets itself: what is Beaujolais Nouveau? Simply, it’s a young, fresh, fruity wine that’s very low in tannins, made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region in France. How young? It’s released just weeks after the wine’s grapes have been harvested.

Before we go any further, here’s how it’s pronounced: boh-zhuh-ley noo-voh. And if you want to listen to the pronunciation, click here.

Can you have vodka on keto? Whiskey on Whole30®? Peppermint Schnapps on Paleo? Or will you have to cut alcohol completely to go gluten-free? With a little creativity, you can still unwind with some vegan wine (yes, there is such a thing) without putting your success in peril. 

Alcoholic Keto Drinks

There’s not much room for error in Keto so if you’re looking to let loose a little, head straight for the liquor cabinet. Most of your 40% alcohol—think: vodka, whiskey, gin, scotch, brandy, rum, and tequila—contain zero carbs or sugars. And while you can feel free to mix your vodka with water, steer clear of tonic which contains 32 grams of carbs per 12 oz.

• Keto ‘Rita – Yes, tequila (can be) kind to Keto. This simple, no-sugar margarita recipe won't interrupt your hard-earned ketosis.
• Low-Carb Hot Buttered Rum – With just the right rum, this winter rockstar is a classic crowdpleaser.
• Wine – To avoid extra sugars, opt for dry white wines like Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, or dry red wines like Pinot Noir, some Cabernet Sauvignon, and some Merlot.

No doubt, it’s fun to go big and buy special bottles of wine for those special occasions. But what about everyday wine that deserves no specific party, holiday, or any reason in particular?

At Haskell’s, we’ve built a relationship with customers like you for decades, and we know everyday value like no one else. We know the importance of those special celebrations, but we also know the day-to-day grind of work and rest and time with family and close friends.

Today, I’m pleased to introduce you to a few members of the Farrell family and our favorite wines right now. We’re honored to connect with so many great customers at Haskell’s, who we like to think of as some of our most valuable relationships — so here’s our personal family list of Farrell favorite wines of the moment.

Remember when rosé was considered passé? Not anymore. Rosé wines have undergone a big transformation in the image of the public. This isn't your old Aunt Alice's rosé – that sweet, awful stuff. Today, they're wonderful, beautifully balanced wines.

Rosé wines now run the table from ultra-sweet to bone dry. And most do not cost very much either. Rosé wines still seem to suffer from seasonal neglect, but more people are now discovering just how enjoyable they can be year-round, especially in the Midwest, where we can always use a bright winter pick-me-up.

The two most famous grape types from the Burgundy wine region are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. But sometimes the Burgundy wine and Burgundy region (and, frankly, the color burgundy) get non-wine folks confused.

We're exploring what the Burgundy region is, why Burgundy wines are so respected, and learning a little about how Burgundian wines taste in the process. Read on or scroll down to check out the video below for a brief overview of Burgundy wines.

We’re all familiar with those nagging symptoms after a night drinking with friends, buying a round, and perhaps doing a few more dance moves than usual. It’s the next morning and you’re feeling fatigued, extra thirsty, and experiencing dizziness or a grating headache as well as the general lack of motivation to do anything that involves getting out of bed even though you can’t sleep well. Yep, it’s another hangover.

It didn’t always feel like this. You were young and resilient once. But now that you’re older, you can also get wiser about hangover helpers and your patterns with alcohol in general.

Don’t worry — we’re not going to tell you to chug a glass of pickle juice like some post-workout cramp-reliever. And you can definitely do better than praying to a pot of coffee or a bottle of some supposed cure-all supplement.

For your own health and safety, we recommend hangover helper practices that have been scientifically proven. These are the simplest, most attainable ways to avoid hangover symptoms, in reference to medical studies on the National Institute of Health. And please don’t take our advice as final — check with your doctor about best practices for your body and alcohol consumption.