Does anybody really need an excuse to open a bottle of their favorite red (or white) at the end of a long and stressful day? Absolutely not! Still, that shouldn’t stand in the way of celebrating National Drink Wine Day.
From connoisseurs of wines from around the globe to casual fans that enjoy the odd glass at the restaurant or on an evening spent with friends, National Drink Wine Day is an undoubted highlight in the calendar.
Cheers!
National Drink Wine Day Timeline
Earliest known record of wine in history
Villagers in the area that is modern day Georgia, just south of Tbilisi, grapes are believed to be used for winemaking.
Winery is used in Armenia
A winepress for stomping grapes, vessels for fermentations, storage jars, drinking cups and even withered grape vines show that a dedicated winery is functioning during this era.
Traveling Phoenecians begin introducing wine
Across the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa regions, traders and travellers slowly begin to introduce wine to islanders and eventually to Europeans.
Winemaking begins in Medieval Europe
As grape production grows in southern Europe, so does the winemaking industry (as northern Europe focuses more on beer). Monasteries begin their vineyards in now-famous places such as Champagne and Burgundy.
Mass produced wine begins in US
With the first commercially successful winery and vineyard in Ohio, USA, the industry makes major improvements. Black rot mostly drives the industry out of Ohio, relocating to New York and, eventually, California.
History of National Drink Wine Day
National Drink Wine Day was founded in 2007 by Todd McCalla, whose hope was to spread the love about the simple act of enjoying a glass of wine.
The history of wine itself can be dated back over 8,000 years to winemakers in the Eurasian region that is now Georgia.
The alcoholic beverage has played a major part in society ever since and has been drunk in all four corners of the globe for many generations.
Iranians, Italians, and Europeans in the Balkans all have rich histories of wine production that date back to ancient times while China created very similar alcoholic beverages as early as 7,000BC.
Wine has consequently been celebrated by fans for centuries, commonly enjoyed as part of a meal or to enhance social events. In fact, the average adult consumes 45.6 gallons of the stuff every year – which works out at 20 miles per gallon, given that the average person walks 900 miles per year.
In today’s world, nearly 20 million acres of the earth’s surface are dedicated to grape farming for wine fermentation.
There are literally thousands of brands and variants covering red wines, white wines, sparkling wines, and rose wines, while mead, fruit wine, and dessert wine is readily available to millions. Moreover, the experience of enjoying wine is closely linked to human history.
For example, tapping glasses to say “cheers” harks back to the Ancient Romans – that’ll come as a shock to fans of Sam Malone, Diane Chambers, and the rest of the fictional gang in Boston, Massachusetts.
National Drink Wine Day is a far more contemporary addition but is now in its second decade.
It provides a formal and organized time to celebrate everything that is to be loved about the alcoholic beverage, such as reducing the threat of liver disease, type II diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and being stuck at the bar with someone that’ll bore you to tears.
Awareness of the event has increased at a fairly rapid rate with the annual event reaching new locations and a greater variety of demographics by the year. In truth, it’s only natural given the universal appeal of the beverage.
Whether red or white (it should definitely be red!), National Drink Wine Day is not an event to be missed.
How to Celebrate National Drink Wine Day
Ernest Hemingway said: “wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range of enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”
So, it would be very ignorant to let National Drink Wine Day pass without celebrating it in style! Take a look at a few ideas for celebrating:
Drink a Glass of Wine
Wine is a drink enjoyed (in moderation) by millions on a daily basis. Many others drink a few glasses on the weekend or once per month on a night out or a trip to the local bar.
Regardless of the daily relationship with wine, National Drink Wine Day is a time to do something a little special. Put the standard budget white or red away, and opt for a zesty Bordeaux or luxurious Pinot Grigio. Special occasions deserve a special drink.
Spend Time with Friends
The celebrations aren’t designed for getting intoxicated beyond social levels. It’s a time to be spent with friends, which is why a dinner party is the perfect way to enjoy great wine and even better conversation.
Drink Wine with Your Partner
Alternatively, couples can tap into the aphrodisiac properties with a night in by themselves.
Either way, the right choice of wine will enhance the evening’s entertainment while also promoting improved health and the other many rewarding features offered by the beverage. What more could anyone ask for?
Toast the Gods
Finally, while delighting the taste buds with a few wines, participants can relax in the knowledge that they have pleased the gods.
Or at least Dionysus (Bacchus in Roman mythology), the god of merrymaking, wine, theatre, and ecstasy. Even for those without religious backgrounds, that sounds like the right type of deity.
Learn About National Drink Wine Day
Unsurprisingly, National Drink Wine Day is a day to celebrate wine, which includes drinking some wine.
However, its purpose isn’t to result in millions of people staggering around bars after losing self-control or to leave participants facing the mother of all hangovers on National Drink Wine Day +1. Wine should be enjoyed responsibly on this day as with any day throughout the year!
The annual event is a time to reflect on the many benefits of wine, as well as the role it has played in human history and society.
The social aspects are particularly pertinent on this day, which should be enjoyed with friends and family. After all, there’s nothing quite like sipping a glass of the good stuff while sharing fun and entertainment with the people that matter most.
For many, this is not only a wine day — it’s a wine AND dine day! However, wine (especially red wine) is also widely praised as an aphrodisiac. So, the dining part is far from essential.
In addition to the stimulating properties, participants of the day’s merriment can embrace other great features such as enhancing social events, relaxing the mind, reducing the risk of heart disease, and providing the perfect accompaniment to various dishes.
Oh, and there’s also the fact it leaves the taste buds dancing with joy.
Wine is one of life’s little luxuries that should be enjoyed far more regularly than once per year. Nonetheless, National Drink Wine Day is that special moment where millions can raise a glass to the benefits it brings while also paying homage to the winemakers of previous generations.
Facts About National Drink Wine Day
Ancient Georgian Qvevri Winemaking
Archaeologists have found that people in the region of modern Georgia were fermenting grape wine in large clay vessels called qvevri as early as 6000–5800 BC, based on chemical traces of tartaric acid and grape pollen in pottery; this underground qvevri method is still used today and has been recognized by UNESCO as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
World’s Oldest Known Winery in an Armenian Cave
Excavations in the Areni-1 cave complex in Armenia uncovered what is considered the world’s oldest known complete winery, dating to around 4100 BC, including a grape-stomping vat, fermentation jars, drinking cups, and preserved grape seeds and vines, showing that organized wine production was already well established over 6,000 years ago.
Wine’s Role in Ancient Medicine
In classical antiquity, physicians such as Hippocrates routinely prescribed wine as part of medical treatment, using it as a base to dissolve drugs, to disinfect wounds, and to aid digestion; surviving Greek and Roman medical texts list dozens of wine-based remedies, illustrating wine’s long-standing role as both beverage and pharmacopeia.
Modern Global Wine Production and Leading Producers
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) estimates that in recent years the world has produced roughly 240–260 million hectoliters of wine annually, with Italy, France, and Spain consistently ranking among the top producers and together accounting for around half of global wine output.
Vineyards as a Major Agricultural Land Use
According to OIV data, vineyards cover more than 7 million hectares (about 17 million acres) worldwide, making grapevines one of the most widely planted perennial crops on Earth, with significant concentrations not only in Europe but also in China, the United States, and South American countries such as Argentina and Chile.
Moderate Wine Drinking and Heart Health
Large observational studies have found that light to moderate alcohol intake, including wine, is associated with a lower risk of certain cardiovascular events compared with abstinence, but organizations such as the American Heart Association emphasize that these associations do not prove causation and that starting to drink or drinking more for heart health is not recommended because of risks like high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and stroke.
Resveratrol’s Uncertain Benefits in Humans
Red wine contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that in laboratory and animal studies has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but human trials have generally used doses far higher than those obtainable from normal wine consumption, and reviews from institutions such as Harvard Medical School conclude there is insufficient evidence to recommend resveratrol—or wine itself—for disease prevention.
