Despite the hoards of articles online touting “Fun Date Ideas That Have Nothing To Do With Drinking,” let’s be realistic… most dates you go on in your 20s will involve alcohol.

Actually, based on my mathematically-sound What’s Appropriate Scale, most activities in your 20s have to do with alcohol: any holiday, any somewhat special occasion, anytime you eat… really just any time.

It seems, though, drinking in your later 20s should be tinged with a bit more enlightenment than it was in your college years, especially when it comes to dating.

No one wants to feel lost or frazzled on a date, and it’s silly to spend our hard-earned money on something we know little about.

I think it’s safe to say most of us wish we knew a little more about wine — if only it required less effort and memorization, and if only you didn’t have to pretend your palate was sophisticated enough to catch the alleged hints of lemon thistle masked by coffee overtones due to the oak-barrel aging process. (This makes no sense. Do not repeat this verbatim in any social setting.)