Average person enjoys over 100 extraordinary days a year

A third of your month is bound to be ‘extraordinary,’ according to a new study.

The poll of 2,000 American wine drinkers found the average person has 10 extraordinary days per month — 120 every year. 

And if you live in Hawaii, Idaho or South Dakota, you can bump that up to 13 days per month.

Three in four (74%) believe living a joyful lifestyle is subjective and unique to everyone. However, many agreed on what defines a joyful life: feeling happy (77%), being healthy (71%), having positive personal and family relationships (69%) and feeling comfortable (69%).

The survey, commissioned by Santa Margherita (https://santamargheritawines.com) and conducted by Talker Research, aimed to figure out exactly how often Americans treat themselves and which occasions call for indulgences the most. 

Results found half believe “any day is a good day” to treat themselves, and they enjoy spending their most joyful days with family and friends (62%). In fact, 76% said they prefer sharing their joyful feelings with others whenever they can. 

People are most likely to treat themselves to something nice during their birthday (66%), although many others believe they should treat themselves while on vacation (59%) or if they’re having a good day (48%). 

For vacations, respondents shared where they would most like to travel abroad this summer. Top choices were Italy (22%), the UK (9%) and Japan (8%).

Those who said they would want to go to Italy shared why: to experience the food (79%), the culture (72%) and to drink Italian wine (66%). 

Sixty-one percent consider a nice meal to be the perfect treat for an extraordinary day, alongside a nice beverage (58%). 

According to them, the most indulgent beverages are red wine (63%), white wine (52%), and beer (43%).

Over seven in 10 (71%) said indulgences like these are best shared with others — especially their significant others (75%), family members (72%) and close friends (65%).

More than three-quarters (78%) like to host family and friends in their home for dinners and a similar 80% believe pairing food and wine typically enhances the overall dining experience. 

Many said wine pairings enhance the flavor of what they’re cooking (68%), makes the meal feel fancier (46%) and makes them appreciate what they’re eating more (41%).

“We encourage people to join in on the journey to make a positive impact in life in an extraordinary way. The answer to what makes life sweet and extraordinary is a little different for all of us, but at its core, it’s about appreciating the simple things around us,” said Jane Scott, Marketing Vice President at Santa Margherita USA. “Sharing experiences with the people we love the most is the true meaning of leading a joyful lifestyle.”

The survey also found that of all popular wine nations, Italy was found to have the nicest quality wine (67%), compared to France (53%), America (36%) and Spain (24%). 

As a result, different states shared their favorite “luxury” Italian wines.

Maryland (40%), Georgia (38%), Virginia (36%), Illinois (35%) and Alabama (34%) love themselves some Rosé. Meanwhile, Pinot Noir was favored in Utah (34%), Maine (33%), California (32%), Minnesota (32%) and Wisconsin (32%).

Pinot Grigio, meanwhile, is loved in Kentucky (33%), Oklahoma (32%), Kansas (30%) and South Carolina (30%).

Prosecco was a fan favorite in New Hampshire (36%), Oregon (30%), Alaska (29%), Massachusetts (27%) and Nevada (27%). 

Finally, residents in West Virginia (23%) and Arizona (22%) love pairing their meals with a nice Chianti.

“Wine is a great connector for people,” continued Jane Scott, Santa Margherita USA, Marketing Vice President. “For those that enjoy it, sharing a favorite bottle over dinner or get-together is a perfect way to savor those extraordinary moments.”