Celebrate National Drink Wine Day Every February 18
February 18 is National Drink Wine Day
Do you enjoy a glass or two of wine after a long day? You’re not alone, and today was made for you and your fellow wine lovers: National Drink Wine Day.
So pop the cork on a bottle of your favorite wine, or try something new, and indulge (but don’t overindulge!) in a refreshing glass.
We haven’t been able to find out who started Drink Wine Day or when. But we’re guessing it was either a wine lover or a wine maker.
But the “who” doesn’t really matter. Just raise a glass in salute to this delicious day.
Humans and Wine: 8000+ Years of Love
That’s right, we humans have been making wine for thousands of years. At least since the year 6000 B.C. in fact.
Who came up with the idea of fermenting grapes and drinking the result? Most legends refer to people accidentally eating fermented grapes and experiencing a pleasant buzz. Eventually people figured out how to do it on purpose and played with the process to come up with how we do it today.
Wine-making seems to have started in the Mesopotamia area, eventually spreading around the world. Today hundreds of countries produce thousands of different wines.
Did you know there are more than 20 million acres of land used just to grow wine grapes? Clearly we love our wine!
Of course, things other than grapes can also be fermented for wine. Sake is a rice wine. Apples and berries make tasty wines. There’s even barley wine, which is really more like a beer; it’s called wine because of its alcohol content.
Yes, Wine Can Be Good For You
Lots of studies over the years have shown that wine can be good for everything from your heart to your bones and immune system.
But only when you drink in moderation (usually defined as one glass daily for women or two for men).
Drinking more than that can cause problems. Binge drinking is also unhealthy, even if your total drinks average out to no more than one or two drinks daily. In other words, drinking 7 glasses on Saturday night is not the same as drinking one glass every evening!
What’s so good about wine? For years we’ve believed wine’s health benefits come at least partly from an antioxidant called resveratrol. This compound is also in grapes and grape juice. In other words, it’s not made as part of the wine-making process. So you don’t technically need to drink wine to get it.
But newer information suggests resveratrol isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. In some people it may actually cause harm, at least if taken as supplements.
So maybe it’s the interaction of several different things in wine that makes it healthy in moderation. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.
Whatever the reason, we’re happy to consider wine a health food!
Note: Experts do say that people should not start drinking wine just for the supposed health benefits. We don’t have enough evidence to suggest that’s a good idea. But if you already drink in moderation, you can feel good about continuing to do so.
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this deliciously relaxing unofficial holiday.
Ideas For Celebrating National Drink Wine Day
Of course you should enjoy a glass of wine to celebrate. But don’t stop at pouring your usual. Be a little more creative.
At the very least, visit your local liquor store and ask for recommendations. Let them know what you usually drink and they can point you in the direction of similar wines you might like.
Are there wineries in your area? Take a tour and taste some wines. You might discover a new favorite.
No winery near you? Consider hosting your own tasting. Have everyone bring a favorite wine to share. Just remember, “taste” doesn’t mean full glasses of every wine for everyone!
LocalWineEvents.com can also help you find wine tastings and other events centered on wine near you.
Use wine in cooking today. Even if you usually skip the wine in a recipe or use a substitute, today you can see how the wine affects the flavor.
(Yes, yes. We know it’s Drink Wine Day … but there’s nothing wrong with being a bit creative!)
Need recipe ideas? Try one (or more) of these:
- Drunken Cheesy Bread
- Roasted Pacific Cod With Olives and Lemon
- Grilled Chicken with White Wine Mushroom Sauce
- Red Wine Poached Pears with Mascarpone Filling
How will you be enjoying wine today?
[…] Wine Day: Apparently you can never have too many days dedicated to wine! If you missed Drink Wine Day back in February, here’s another chance to celebrate … not that you really need an excuse to […]
[…] National Drink Wine Day: Even if you don’t normally celebrate the end of a long day with a glass of wine, this is the day to make an exception. Sip a glass of your favorite wine and relax. Don’t drink? There are non-alcoholic wines you might like. Or just have a glass of your favorite time-to-relax drink, whatever that may be. […]