It’s Friday, and Fri-yay! 🎉

But this Friday, there’s even more to celebrate with National Drink Wine Day, celebrated every February 18th! 🍷

So grab a friend, make plans for happy hour 👯‍♀️, and check out our boozy sock collection and these fun facts about wine with today’s post dedicated to National Wine Day! 

Wine fact one: This aged drink goes way back

Civilizations have been enjoying wine for thousands of years—with the earliest evidence of wine making suggesting that wine was made in the middle east as early as 8000 BC! 

But the role of wine has changed over the years. 

Centuries ago, most water wasn’t clean enough to drink, so people drank wine to quench their thirst. The fermentation process used in making wine naturally killed germs like salmonella and cholera that were common in water. 🦠🤢

Since then, drinking wine has become a social pastime, with the first world-wide wine tasting taking place in France in 1224. 

And now? Now, it’s a favorite way to connect—whether at a cafe, or on the couch—with new and old friends alike! 

Wine fact two: Drinking wine has associated health benefits 

Wine—especially red wine—has been linked to numerous health benefits when taken in moderation. 

Starting with early Greece, Greek physician Hippocrates (c. 460 - c. 370 BC) used wine medicinally and as an antiseptic to help ill patients lower fevers. Now, wine has been proven to reduce risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes. ❤️

Need more convincing? 

Wine is rich in antioxidants—natural molecules that have been shown to improve immune systems and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. In fact, it would take roughly 20 glasses of apple juice to get the same amount of antioxidants available in a glass of wine. 

So go ahead! Open a bottle, let it breathe (and take a breath yourself! 😌), and enjoy the benefits of a glass! 

Wine fact three: Wine is a part of celebrations across cultures and events! 

Saying “I do”? Celebrating the completion of a work project? Or maybe just the end of a work week? 

Whatever the occasion, wine has been used to celebrate both the big and the little wins in life. In fact, wine is such an integral part of so many cultures that grapes are the most planted fruit in the entire world! 🍇

From Carnival in Brazil 💃🏻 to Mardi Gras in Louisiana 🎭, wines are a staple celebratory drink for cultural festivals. And some religions even incorporate wine as part of their services or ceremonies! 

Whatever your reason, break out the Cabernet or Chardonnay, grab a friend, and have a drink! Cheers! 🥂