Cheers! Feb. 18 is National Drink Wine Day

True oenophiles need no excuse to imbibe in a touch of the grape, but it’s nice to see the nectar of the gods receiving the recognition it so richly deserves.

As delightful as it is to inhale the heady fragrance of a Chianti Classico Riserva or to linger over the buttery finish of an oaky Chardonnay, wine does afford its health benefits. Moderate drinkers have lower risks of liver disease, type II diabetes, certain kinds of cancers, heart attack, and stroke. Wine also reduces “bad” cholesterol and enhances the “good.”

You can celebrate National Drink Wine Day with a bottle of your favorite wine at home, but why not make the day last by checking out these wine bars?

Ardesia Wine Bar (510 W. 52nd Street, 212-247-9191) has launched a wine club. For $90 a month you will receive three bottles of wine curated by owner Mandy Oser, a guided tasting, and food pairing notes. You will also be invited to join a members-only Zoom tasting and discussion of one of the wines at the end of the month.

If you’re a novice to wine looking to broaden his or her horizons, Anfora in Chelsea (34 Eighth Avenue, 212-518-2722) is worth exploring. The wine bar changes its by-the-glass offerings daily but doesn’t list them. Instead you are asked to describe what you like, and they introduce you to a wine that fits your profile.

If you are at the other end of the experience spectrum, Wine:30 (41 E. 30th Street, 212- 481-0197) boasts an impressively large selection representing all of the world’s important wine-growing regions.

If French wines are your siren, you’ll want to know about La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels (249 Centre Street, 212-343-3660). French and Mediterranean small plates are served up in a rustic-chic setting. For beginners and those who are not yet venturing out due to COVID, the bar features a wine boot camp at home.