Haskell’s The Wine People

I’m the type of person who will research every detail about a product before buying it, but recently I didn’t have the time to do so. Reluctantly I decided I would have to trust white wine recommendation from the Haskell staff.
The Haskell staff member, an older gentlemen pointed me to the French brand Puligny white wine –which happened to be on sale for about $ 40. I hesitated, because usually if something goes on discount, it’s a sign that it’s unpopular. I should have trusted my instincts.
The reason this Puligny white wine was discounted and unpopular is because it’s absolutely a rip off as far as alcohol content. I drank 3 glasses that night with my friends, and I was completely stone-​cold sober.
I would not recommend asking Haskell staff for help with wine or beer recommendation –because obviously, their job is to keep products moving out the door, so they’re going to recommend products that they want to get rid of. So, they are more focused on sales, rather than sincerity. I wish I could go into a wine store and get expert recommendation, but these days, that sort of thing just does not exist in any industry. Only way to make sure you get quality products is to do the research yourself.
The shop is very small and reminds me of a hoarder’s house because of how much stuff is squeezed into a tiny space. I’m always nervous that one of these days I’m going to knock something over accidentally and break a bunch of bottles in their shop.
Convenient location, but there are much better options and selections at other Minneapolis liquor stores.

Leo at Haskell’s helped us choose the alcohol for our wedding in May, 2015. He was very helpful in picking out wines and beers that our guests would enjoy and that would go well with our food. He also did a great job advising us on quantities for about 200 people, and he was flexible during the planning process as our requests and numbers changed. They delivered all of the alcohol (at appropriate temperatures) to the venue on the day of the wedding at no charge. After the wedding, we were able to return unopened cases and liquor bottles for a full refund. Great experience all around.

They have the most helpful staff. Great selection of wine and beer, Stop by if you have a chance.

Very disappointed in Haskell’s. While they undoubtedly have a great beer selection, the employees were very rude and would not let us in even though we arrived BEFORE closing. If they are going to lock the doors at 9:55, they should list that as their closing time. Unprofessional and not what we expected since Minnesota was filled with welcoming and graceful people. Total Wines would NEVER treat customers this way! In fact, they have opened the doors for us after closing on numerous occasions.

This is much more than wine but beer and liquors too, can even find a 30 pack of Hamms one of my favorite Minnesota born beers and it costs only $ 15, best 50 cent a can beer around! I think their prices are better than other Downtown competition as well! Not to mention the awesome atmosphere and friendly staff!

My dog Lola and I have been coming to this Haskell’s for almost three years and I’ve always had a consistent, great experience.
For being downtown, this place is super quick and easy to get in and out of. There is street parking out front or you can park in the parking lot right before the building – they will validate your parking if need be.
The have a solid wine collection that rotates. One of my favorite wines is a Tanat and surprisingly, they had one! They have a good beer selection. Certainly, due to size, these guys don’t have ALL of the unique beers, but you can still find the local favorites (Fulton, Surly, etc), seasonals, and build-​your-​own-​six-​packs.
Additionally a couple summers ago, I had a friend visiting from out-​of-​state who wanted to send some recently released Surly back home and these guys made it very quick and easy.
I love shopping at this Haskell’s! The people who work here are very nice and the fact that it’s SO dog friendly makes it an almost-​weekly stop on all our dog walks year-​round! Super hearts for this place!

Excellent service. The lady behind the counter was very helpful. Not only did they have cheese but they had fresh pasta. The place is small but Gray to get some special cheese for home.

Great selection!
Great Service!
Good Prices! and Lots of Free samples!

t’s on the ground level but is still skyway connected so you can get here without ever having to go outside for those 6 months when the MN weather isn’t as pleasant.
The pricing is pretty competitive compared to the other downtown liquor stores, they also have very good sales on wine.
The place is a bit packed so I am often a little worried I am going to stumble and cause wine to come crashing down but other than that it has a large selection and is a pretty good option.

I went to get some yummy wine and Emily was the best. THE BEST! FO SHO

This place was awesome! Stopped in to find a bottle of wine for a specific pairing. The staff was super helpful. Very impressed with the wine selection overall. They had several specialty winemakers I enjoy. If I’m downtown at a conference again I will stop here again!

I bought several bottles of white wines from Haskell this fall. All of these ones (6 out 7) are oxydized. The bottles cost was between 20 and 45 $). total of 600 $ of wine…
The major problem is that when looking at the bottle, the color is suspect.
Haskell knew their wines were in that poor condition (probably stored in an upright position in the light…). They obviously decided to sell the wines though which is highly unbelievable.
I emailed them several times. They never replied.
If you think about buying at Haskell, forget it and consider another wine retailer, more professional. The storage conditions are poor, the quality of service is incredibly low and their honesty is to take into consideration.

I’ve had mixed luck at Haskells. In the suburbs ironically enough I’ve had great service. I may have been lucky but I bumped into the manager and they had some really great wine suggestions and sales going on at the time.
At this location however, the customer service was mediocre at best. The main reason is that the staffing seemed low which was odd for the Saturday afternoon we were there. The only people that were working were at the cash registers and I wasn’t able to pull them away to get a suggestion. I also noticed that most of the inventory was really dusty which made me think that the inventory doesn’t turn as well at this particular location. Not really a big deal because it is mostly wine, but still odd. I would come again if I needed something and I happened to be downtown but otherwise the selection and service didn’t woo me back. Maybe I’ll have to try some of the tastings that my fellow Unilocalers suggest below.

I love this place for its fabulous wine assortment and knowledgeable sales associates. Prices are also surprisingly affordable for downtown Mpls. The owner himself has helped me out several times when I’m looking for a new wine to try — he has never steered me wrong once.

I was visiting Minneapolis for the first time and decided to stop in to see what California wines make it out here and scope out beers that I can’t get at home. This place has an extensive and impressive selection of wines national and international. They offer lots of fun classes and events. David Mirassou was in the store pouring and signing his wines when I visited.
What makes this place special to me is how the joy of «Wet», a beer made by Surly Brewing Company, entered my life. Beer in a can… made with fresh hops? Egads – I’m throwing my money away. But no, it was bliss. Take their opinions/​reviews seriously – they will not lead you astray.
If only I could somehow get them to ship Wet to California.

This is my favorite booze store of all time. There is an awesome selection of wine that is overwhelming, but the staff will help you find the perfect bottle in a non-​snobby way. They also have a good gluten free beer selection, including a recent addition of Daura Estrella, which is gf beer that tastes like… beer (!).

I don’t know how anyone could fathom giving less than 5 stars — — this place is a gem! A wino’s diamond in the rough!
I’m still getting used to MN’s concept of not selling liquor inside grocery stores or Targets. And thank god for the downtown Target lady tonight — she pointed me here down the street!
OMG — — love, love, love this place!
First of all, it’s Beaujolais drinking season — so I had to pick up one of those. And they had samples — of a Georges Boef. The associate showed me his current fav Beaujolais which was on sale $ 8.99 — in the basket. Check.
Next, looking for Moscato’s… not the largest assortment per se, but they had some chilled ones and shelved ones. In the basket. Check.
But… man, the white burgundy sample was awesome. and the selection of CA and French Pinot Noirs. Damn, I’m in trouble!
Unfortunately I can’t drink both bottles in one night, BUT… it’s definitely less expensive (and much better tasting!) than a couple glasses at my hotel.
Thank you to the Target girl for tipping me off!

Great atmosphere, well priced liquors, clearly marked sections, and lots of items on sale. Do I really need a random margarita mix? I absolutely don’t, but hey it’s 40% off! I like their good variety of every kind of spirit, wine, and other kinds of liquor, with some beer in the back if that’s your cup of tea. Or is it cup of beer?

So, I just started a job in October that’s about a block away from Haskell’s, and let me just say that this is going to be dangerous. The ability to buy things at Target that I don’t need AND buy bottles of wine and tasty beers before catching the last express bus home after work? SIGN ME UP.
Haskell’s feels less like a liquor store and more like walking into a giant, awesome liquor cabinet and wine cellar. I love wine, and my favourite wine-​related pastime is playing a game I like to call, «Under $ 10? Awful or Awesome?» My goal is to try as many under $ 10 bottles of wine as possible to see which ones are awesome and which ones taste like rubbing alcohol filtered through a sweaty basement-dweller’s t-​shirt. That said, Haskell’s always has something on sale, and so far, all of the under $ 10 bottles of wine have been really fantastic. Even better is that I’ve found some wines that are in the $ 15 range (I know, I’m heading into high-​class territory now) on sale for $ 10 (like Bogle Petit Syrah — one of my favourites). That usually leads to a little happy dance and another *clink* as I add it to my shopping basket.
Haskell’s also has an awesome selection of beer, and they have a section to create your own 6-​pack. I love it when liquor stores offer that option because I can try a variety of beers without having to buy an entire six-​pack of one kind.
The staff is always incredibly friendly, too.
Oh, Haskell’s…you’ll be seeing a lot of me.

By far, Haskell’s downtown is my favorite place to booze-​shop.
No, it’s not as huge as some other places, nor does it have limitless variety. But you’re never having to elbow people to get through an aisle or try to drill through a pile of mooches waiting to taste some free wine, and that alone is the biggest plus in the entire universe.
I’m not a wine drinker, so let’s just skip, oh, the majority of the store.
But they’ve bulked up on micro and import beers over the last year, and oh my goodness is that ever wonderful. Like most of MSP, it’s Belgian-​heavy, but so long as they keep getting an occasional authentic kriek every now and again, thumbs up. Also, they tend to have all the Crispin varieties on-​hand, which makes for a very happy me.
Still, the best part is the staff. One day we started a conversation about vodka, and the next thing we knew, one of the guys was walking us through a zillion different kinds and what kinds of notes they have and what’s worth it for the money. (By the way, the winner? Tito’s. Seriously.) Now we always ask for recommendations if we’re in a foreign territory. We know we’ll get REAL answers.
Oh yeah, and it’s only a few blocks from where we live. This is both wonderful in that it prevents us from buying too much, but terrible in that it simply encourages us to visit more frequently.