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National Drink Wine Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated annually on February 18th. The day’s focus doesn’t just have to be on wine consumption, although that’s certainly the key component.
It can also be a day to spend time with friends, explore new ways to enjoy wine, check out a local vineyard, or learn more about a beverage that’s been around for thousands of years.
History of National Drink Wine Day
While wine drinking has been an international pastime since ancient times, the origins of National Drink Wine Day are more modern and harder to pin down.
Who started National Drink Wine Day? We don’t really know who started National Drink Wine Day, but it was most likely a wine enthusiast or someone who wanted to promote the wine industry.
It’s also unclear when the holiday started, but it’s likely related to the growth of hashtag holidays on social media over the last decade or so.
The history of wine itself, though, goes back much further.
The earliest known evidence of wine dates back to about 6000 BC in the country of Georgia, although China was fermenting wine-like beverages much earlier, around 7000 BC. Iran (Persia at the time), Armenia, and Sicily all have rich winemaking histories that are nearly as old.
From there, wine became part of both religious rituals and daily fare in ancient Greece and Rome.
Wine regions have spread around the world, with the United States competing with powerhouses like France, Italy, and Argentina for the best wines. Today, wine remains a fixture at meals ranging from casual gatherings to celebrations.
Many people enjoy a regular glass, not as a festivity, but to enjoy the many health benefits associated with moderate wine consumption. Red wine in particular, has been linked with reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
That said, drinking less alcohol is usually better, and excess alcohol use is linked to poor health conditions like liver disease. If you’re cutting back, there’s still a way to celebrate the upcoming wine holiday thanks to the growth of the non-alcoholic wine industry.
How to Celebrate
Celebrating National Drink Wine Day can be as simple as picking up a bottle of wine to share or learning more about your preferred wine styles. You can also think bigger by focusing on the social side and making an event of it.
Enjoy a wine tasting.
Visit a winery to let the professionals guide your wine tasting or host your own in a casual environment to learn about different wine varietals.
If you’re hosting, choose a few different red and white wine options unless you know you’re catering to a group that prefers one over the other.
While the obvious way to celebrate National Drink Wine Day is to drink wine, that doesn’t mean you can’t participate if you don’t drink alcohol. A wine tasting with non-alcoholic wine allows you to host a more inclusive event.
Explore food pairings.
Create a menu for dinner that keeps the wine in mind. If you’re feeding a group of meat-eaters, choose bolder reds like cabernet sauvignon or a chianti. White wine is the usual option for fish dishes, but a lighter red like a pinot noir works just fine, as well.
Think sweet if you’re serving dessert with a Moscato, Lambrusco, or port, or serve up a sparkling variety to keep things festive.
National Wine and Cheese Day isn’t until the summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate early. Many kinds of cheese at your favourite cheesemonger are marketed specifically for wine pairings, although they’re also delicious on their own.
Pro tip: Try bolder flavours like a smoked cheddar or gouda if you’re pairing cheeses with red wine.
Have a wine-themed movie marathon.
National Drink Wine Day doesn’t have to mean drinking wine at all. Celebrate with a wine-themed movie marathon instead. (Bonus points if you do it in your PJs.)
Not sure where to start? Here are a few of our favourites:
- A Heavenly Vintage
- A Walk in the Clouds
- Back to Burgundy
- Bottle Shock
- Sideways
- Somm
- Uncorked
- Wine Country
Get creative.
Get a little crafty with wine-themed projects that will add some intrigue to your apartment or double as the perfect gifts for the wine lovers in your life.
If you have empty bottles on hand, recycle them by turning them into your next centrepiece or flower vase. Use the wine corks you’ve been collecting for coasters, fridge magnets, or trivets. Make a DIY wine holder that’s both fun and functional.
If you’re not crafty but know a friend who is, this may be the perfect time to get into the upcycling spirit.
Educate yourself.
National Drink Wine Day is also a great time to learn and appreciate the cultural significance of wine.
Brush up on your wine lingo for your next wine tasting, or learn to take better wine-tasting notes. Learn more about wine production and how to tell one grape variety from another. Get a better understanding of your palate and what you like about your favourite wines.
Educate yourself about what’s in that glass of wine you’re sipping, if only to better appreciate it the next time around.
Treat yourself.
Celebrating the day can be as simple as celebrating yourself. Pick up a bottle of your favourite wine and savour a glass with dinner or explore the growing number of non-alcoholic wine options out there if you’re looking to cut back.
If you’re lacking in the wine accessories department, there’s no better time to upgrade than National Drink Wine Day. Pick up that fancy decanter you’ve been eyeing or improve your wine cork game with an electric wine opener.
If you love hosting, add to your stemware collection. Choose glasses that fit the wine styles you reach for the most or that you know your guests like. Take advantage of the day and replace that one glass you broke years ago that left you with an uneven set.
Treat somebody else.
National Drink Wine Day isn’t just a day for you. It’s a day for everyone. It’s a great time to introduce someone to your favourite wine or bring one to share that you know they’ll love.
There’s no reason National Drink Wine Day has to be centred around alcohol consumption. You can easily celebrate if you or your friends don’t drink alcohol. Treat yourself or a friend to a bottle of your favourite non-alcoholic sparkling wine instead.
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