Wine is a glorious thing. When you’re in the mood to get completely blotto, but still look classy while doing so, accept no substitutes. 

February 18 is National Drink Wine Day for all of you looking to find the right excuse to uncork a bottle. Even for the most avid aficionado, wine doesn’t play the role in today’s society that it once did. Back in the day, we’re talking roughly 6,000 years ago, wine served as a centerpiece of society. The fermentation process was perfect for killing all of the bacteria in the drinking water, thus making it a much safer option. The intoxicating effects of the alcohol provided the icing on the cake.

Throughout antiquity wine wasn’t just treasured by the masses, it was given a prominent place in many religions. Wine was an important sacrament in early Judaism, ancient Egyptians used wine to represent blood, and entire cults sprang up around it in Greece and Rome. Everywhere that people went, one of the first things they would do upon settling was to set up a vineyard.

These days we look at wine a little differently. We think of it as a refined beverage, the sort of drink that is often saved for special occasions. If you’re having a particularly nice dinner, chances are that you’re going to be popping open a bottle of wine. 

When they’re getting ready to have a glass (or 3), most Americans prefer red wine, with Merlot being the most popular variety. It would be safe to say that some people are less than thrilled by this.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXXDC5FarhE

We’re not nearly as judgemental when it comes to wine tattoos—we love ’em all. The only ones that bum us out are tattoos of an empty glass because that means the celebration is over. So fill up that glass and enjoy this collection of wine tattoos.