As a wine lover, you have probably heard of the term “Wine o’clock.” It refers to when it is acceptable to have a glass of wine. It also happens to be more than a mere expression. 

So, first off, is a real thing and has actually made its way to the Oxford English dictionary and the Urban Dictionary! It came after a long history of confusion and inconsistency.

What’s the official time?

So, what time of the day is appropriate to start drinking wine? There is technically no specific time as to when is wine o’clock. There is no definite answer to this eternal question. It has been left open for interpretation, having different significance on people, culture, occurrence, mood, and celebrations.

The urban dictionary defines wine o’clock time as a time for a glass of wine in the early evening. This time would mean from 5.00 pm.

However, several surveys have been undertaken to try and determine what time is wine o’clock regarding several people’s understanding. An example is the officially voted American time being 6:59 pm according to a study by OnePoll.

This is when people start their happy hour after the end of a traditional workday. As for a glass of wine, we think it’s spot-on for the 65% of the American population that enjoys wine regularly. If you didn’t know wine culture was a thing, well, know you know!

Where Do People Go?

Wine bars can be a relaxing and fun option for wine o’clock. Most people, however, prefer to sit at home on their sofa to sip their vino.

History of the Wine O’clock

The drinking of wine with dinner has been a popular concept throughout history. However, the concept of the most popular time to drink wine has changed over the years depending on the eating times.

The origin of wine o’clock came after much confusion about the perfect time for a glass of wine. Finally, the mystery has been solved with 6:59 pm voted as the ideal time for wine in the U.S. Keep in mind though, at the end of the day, the best time for vino is when you decide.