These Mini Bottles of 'Mom Wine' Aren't Just for Burned Out Parents

Maybe it’s the sheer volume of, “But first, wine” merch in that scribbly font, but it seems like the “rosé all day” philosophy has shifted from bachelorette parties and firmly planted itself in the mom-o-sphere. To be clear, parenting is obviously one of the most stressful jobs someone can willingly take on, but (in a completely unscientific observation) it seems like those that take the leap in expanding their family are more willing than ever to admit that today’s version of “mother’s little helper” might just be getting loaded on white zinfandel after putting the kids to bed. Honestly, cheers to that.

Enter Wander + Ivy, which unabashedly introduces itself as, “wine for moms, from a mom.” Naturally, as a childless, 30-something cis-male, I’m the perfect person to give this product a closer look.

Even if I’m not a parent, I sure as hell am the type of person who drinks wine on the regular, and can empathize with Wander + Ivy’s general conceit: offering tasty wine one single-serve glass at a time. That’s kind of the brand’s whole thing—it hopes to make grabbing a glass of wine as instant and intuitive as cracking a can of seltzer or digging into a pudding cup. As founder Dana Spaulding explains on the brand’s site, opened wine has a relatively short shelf life, and unless you’re someone who’s planning on downing a whole bottle of wine within 6 to 24 hours of opening it (cough: me), you’re pouring money—and good wine—down the drain in more ways than one.

As an alternative to wasted wine, Wander + Ivy was born, offering single-serve portions (each bottle contains 6.3 fluid ounces, which is slightly more than a 5-ounce restaurant wine pour, because Mommy needs to decompress from all those PTA meetings) of a variety of different wines. The lineup consists of five different bottles: a rosé, a white blend, a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a red blend.

Wander + Ivy insists it offers a premium experience, paying close attention to the fact that the wine can’t just taste great, but has to look sharp, too. Contained in, “elegant and easy-to-open glass bottle[s],” the wines feature fruit from “family-owned vineyards that grow certified organic grapes,” according to the brand. While this doesn’t mean the wine is “organic” (long story short, using organic grapes is one thing, but that alone doesn’t make a final wine “organic”), we respect the brand’s clear commitment to being serious about the grapes it sources. 

If all the above has you interested, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the variety of wines Wander + Ivy has in stock. While I myself gravitate towards Spanish reds—which means I’m drawn to the 2020 Red Blend, which is sourced from Valencia, Spain and mainly consists of the fruit-forward, distinctly Spanish grape, Bobal—there’s plenty for any palate.

Looking for a party rosé? Wander + Ivy’s 2020 Rosé is made with grapes from a 14-generation winemaking family based in Languedoc region of France (which borders one of the world’s most preeminent rosé regions, Provence). Ready for book club to be reincarnated into a gathering of wine nerds? Wander + Ivy’s 2020 Chardonnay, sourced from Mendocino, CA, should hit on both sides of the grape’s classic flavor profiles—embodying “pear and apricot” with a toasty, “slightly buttery” quality.

Elegant branding and curated wine portfolio aside, it is interesting to think about the idea that moms need their own version of (single-serve) wine. While the perks of consuming wine effectively one glass at a time seem apparent—especially for busy moms who probably only have time for a single serving before tackling the next thing on their expanding to-do lists—it’s hard to know if that approach takes away one of the best parts of drinking wine: opening a whole bottle and watching it evolve (ideally while sharing with friends and family). You know—something, something, Jeff Goldblum’s classic quote from Jurassic Park. That said, it’s also easy to see the single-serve appeal here. As stated at the top, I’m nowhere near Wander + Ivy’s intended mom demographic, but I am a wine fan that can appreciate portable wine in non-mom contexts—like sneaking a bottle into a music festival or heading out with the fellas for a boys-only camping trip. 

Whether you’re pouring a drink after putting the kids down or just someone who has commitment issues (when it comes to opening a bottle of wine—what do you think we mean?), Wander + Ivy’s single-serve, grab-and-go approach to wine might help take the edge off.

Purchase Wander + Ivy wines here.

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