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The best date nights are over a bottle of wine.
When chatting with dating expert Ilana Dunn last month, she told InsideHook that wine has always been part of “real-world romance.”
“Naturally, there is something romantic about wine, and sharing a bottle of wine or sending somebody a glass of wine is an amazing way to strike up a connection,” Dunn said.
Uncorking a bottle with someone regardless of romantic ideations, though, is one of those simple bonding experiences between you and that person. In an isolating online world of AI slop, predatory algorithms and inflammatory discourse that is all, no doubt, rotting our brains, I think we could stand to have more offline, real-world experiences with our fellow humans, and I believe sharing a glass of wine with someone is one of the easiest ways to combat that insulation.
Take It From a Woman: The Best Date Nights Are Over a Bottle of Wine. Here’s Why.
We chatted with Ilana Dunn, dating coach and host of the popular relationships podcast “Seeing Other People”It’s why I was so excited to get my hands on Total Wine’s Wine Adventure Advent Calendar ahead of the coziest, merriest time of year.
The limited-edition holiday box features 24 expertly sourced, mini bottles from wines around the world — the perfect little holiday countdown you can enjoy by yourself, with a partner or with your entire household (if they are of drinking age, that is).
For the purposes of this review, I did not wait until Dec. 1 to start ripping open the advent calendar’s cardboard doors. And because, while miniature-sized, 24 bottles is a lot of wine for one person to drink in a short window, I decided to share this festive experience with my coworkers. Gathered around a small coffee table in the middle of our office, a handful of editors excitedly popped open each hidden wine door and were quite impressed with what we found on the other side.
Listen, I’ve tried many an advent calendar in my day, and sometimes, the quantity and quality of contents can be disappointing for the cost. (I’ve experienced $100+ wine boxes that leave much to be desired).
So at just $80, I, along with my colleagues, were quite impressed with this holiday box from Total Wine. It includes a variety of red, whites and roses in 187ml bottles, which is quite a substantial pour for the price (each bottle equals about a full glass).
It is important to note that Total Wine’s Wine Adventure Advent Calendar is catered towards the everyday, casual vino consumer, or the person that is completely new to wine. While not premium pours, we still found our glasses to be tasty, and even more importantly, never empty.
Whether you’re looking to spread some holiday cheer with friends and family, planning an intimate, at-home wine tasting with your partner or just want to learn more about your own palate and preferences, Total Wine’s advent calendar is an easy, cost-effective and fun (!) way to do just that.
Note: These calendars have a reputation for selling out quickly, and are typically out of stock by beginning to mid-November, so if you’re interested in embarking on your very own wine adventure, we’d recommend picking up a box ASAP.
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