A Bottle of Wine and a DVD

Wednesday, February 06th, 2013

TV remote pointing at a TVFrom reading thousands of dating profiles, we have come to the conclusion that relaxing with a bottle of wine and a DVD is the nation’s favourite way to spend an evening. It’s also a good rainy day date idea (but certainly not for a first date).

If you’re inviting your newish date over for a bottle of wine and a DVD on the sofa, here’s our guide to choosing the best wine and DVD to impress them.

How to choose wine for your date

Wine connoisseurs might wince at the idea, but the most important thing when choosing a wine is to choose what you enjoy. However if you’re choosing wine for your date as well and aren’t confident selecting your favourite bottle, here are a few things to consider:

Choosing the colour – Most people have a preference when it comes to wine, so consider whether your date has chosen red, white or rosé on your previous dates.  If you can’t remember, check their dating profile and if all else fails you could always match your wine to the snacks.

What’s popular? – According to sales figures, Australian wines are the most popular with UK consumers. When it comes to colour, red wine is top of the charts and the most popular grape varieties are shiraz, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.

Matching your wine to your favourite snack

Butter popcorn – Wine experts recommend choosing a white wine such as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc to go with the ultimate DVD snack.

Crisps – It might just be me, but I’ve never really associated champagne with crisps, but according to wine experts, the fizz is a perfect antidote to the fattiness. As champagne seems a bit showy, they go equally well with cava or prosecco.

Spicy nachos – Choose a low alcohol riesling to counteract the spiciness.

Chocolates – For milk chocolate snacks like M&Ms or Minstrels, try a merlot or a pinot noir.

How to choose a DVD for your date

Choosing a DVD has almost as many pitfalls as choosing a bottle of wine, but you can always turn to your own collection if your date isn’t too keen on what you have chosen.

Avoid horror movies and rom-coms– Horror films are the great dividers when it comes to films. You either love them or hate them, so if you’re not sure which camp your date is in, avoid them at all costs. Rom-coms, tend to be a guilty secret that people aren’t too keen to reveal, so are also best to avoid on a date.

Blockbusters – This isn’t an advert for the DVD rental shops, but a recommendation to choose a popular film if you are unsure about your date’s taste in films. Films like the Hunger Games and Rock of Ages were popular hits at the cinema with both men and women, so could prove a safe bet.

The classics – The most popular film according to dating site statistics is The Godfather, so if you’re keen to impress your date, choose a classic such as this one or check out the IMDB Top 250.

Join the discussion on Facebook to recommend the best wine and DVD combo.