Updated October 2026 To open champagne safely, chill the bottle to 45°F or colder, keep it pointed at a 45-degree angle away from people, loosen the wire cage while keeping a thumb on the cork, cover the top with a towel, then hold the cork still and slowly twist the bottle until the cork eases … Read more
Updated October 2026 The best New Year’s Eve champagne cocktails are the classics: the French 75, the Champagne Cocktail, the Kir Royale, the Mimosa and the Bellini. Each takes two to four ingredients and less than a minute. Use a dry (brut) sparkling wine, chill everything well, and pour the bubbly last so it stays … Read more
Updated October 2026 Most liquor stores are closed on Christmas Day, and in several states the law requires it. Texas and North Carolina ban liquor store sales on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and state-run stores in Pennsylvania and Virginia close on Christmas. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, most stores open but … Read more
Updated October 2026 The best Christmas cocktails are warm, rich or sparkling drinks that suit cold nights and a crowd: spiked eggnog and a hot toddy for whiskey fans, hot buttered rum, a White Russian or Espresso Martini for vodka drinkers, the French 75 for gin, the Alexander and Sidecar for brandy, and a Kir … Read more
Updated October 2026 To make hot buttered rum, beat softened butter with brown sugar and warm spices into a batter, then stir 2 tablespoons of batter with 1.5 to 2 oz of aged or dark rum and 4 to 6 oz of hot water in a mug. The batter keeps in the refrigerator, so you … Read more
Updated October 2026 The easiest Christmas punch combines one spirit, fresh citrus, a sweetener, a festive juice and something bubbly, built in a big bowl over a large block of ice. Below are three house builds (cranberry bourbon punch, sparkling brandy punch and a spiced rum punch) plus a non-alcoholic version, each with the total … Read more
Updated October 2026 The best Thanksgiving cocktails lean on fall flavors and easy prep: an Old Fashioned or Manhattan before dinner, a bourbon and apple cider punch made by the pitcher, a cranberry mule, and an Espresso Martini or Alexander with dessert. Batch your main drink ahead of time so you can host instead of … Read more
Updated October 2026 The best wines for Thanksgiving are light to medium-bodied, fresh and fruity, because they flex across turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet sides. For red, pour Pinot Noir, Beaujolais (Gamay) or a fruit-forward Zinfandel. For white, pick off-dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc or a lightly oaked Chardonnay. Sparkling wine and dry rosé work … Read more
Updated October 2026 It depends on your state. Some states ban retail liquor sales on Thanksgiving Day by law, including Texas, Minnesota and Massachusetts, and state-run stores such as Pennsylvania’s Fine Wine & Good Spirits and Virginia ABC close for the holiday. In many other states, private liquor stores may open but often keep shorter … Read more
100% agave tequila can legally contain 1% undisclosed additives. How to read a NOM number, what the age classes mean, and every tequila guide we’ve published.
