8 Ways To Celebrate National Wine Day

Today, ladies and gentlemen, is a very special occasion. Today, the 25th day of May, is National Wine Day — not to be confused with the similar National Drink Wine Day, which is observed on Feb. 18. But, as we all know, wine is awesome, so we'll let it get weird on its two special days, because, YOLO or something. Looking for ways to celebrate National Wine Day? The real question you should be asking is — red or white?

But before we start popping bottles, let's differentiate between the two very different wine appreciation days on the calendar. National Drink Wine Day is a day dedicated to spreading awareness of the health benefits of drinking wine and educating people about wine's important role in world history. National Wine Day is less about education, and more about heading over to happy hour at your favorite wine bar to sip on your favorite grapes.

Since every day can be National Wine Day if you have the right attitude, I found some ways to celebrate the occasion that go beyond the call of happy hour. So, once you're ready to retire your steady stream of caffeine for the day, here are some ways to get busy on some nectar of the gods without totally messing up your list of Thursday responsibilities.

1. Cook with wine

Wine adds a whole lot of flavor to sauces, if you know how to use it. This crispy skillet lemon chicken recipe from The Comfort of Cooking has a white wine sauce that will knock your socks off.

2. Make wine slushies

Wine slushies are a delightful summertime treat! Try out this riesling and strawberry recipe from With Style and Grace. This recipe includes a genius tip for making these slushies ahead of time, and freezing them in single-serving perfect portions so you don't have to share with anybody.

3. Make wine ice cream

This Manischewitz ice cream recipe from What Jew Wanna Eat is absolute brilliance. I can't think of a more perfect use of Manischewitz than using the already sweet wine to make an even sweeter ice cream.

4. Make wine cocktails

OK, so this recipe from A Spicy Perspective is maybe more appropriate for people who don't have to be at work on Thursday, but it is just so very, very delicious. And look at all that fruit! With that many berries, this drink is basically a health food.

5. Head to a vineyard to do some wine tasting

Wine tasting is a very mature way to try all of the different kinds of wine that a vineyard has to offer — and definitely more economical than say, splurging on a case of every single varietal that you find on the shelf, but that's always an option too.

6. Watch the Somm documentaries

There are two documentaries by the same team — one simply called Somm from 2012 that explores the preparation behind the Master Sommelier exam. The second, from 2015, is called Somm: Into the Bottle, and it gives a sneak peek into the wine-making industry.

7. Open a bottle you've been saving for a special occasion

Open the nice bottle of wine you have stowed away for a special occasion, and share it with somebody you love.

8. Post wine memes from your work computer

Because it's #NationalWineDay. All day.

Images: Pexels (2); The Comfort of Cooking; With Style and Grace; What Jew Wanna Eat; A Spicy Perspective; Forgotton Man Films; Pixabay; Quickmeme