The $11 Walmart Find My 90-Year-Old Aunt Joyce Drank Every Night

As a professional in the food world, is it gauche to confess I have gone out of my way to purchase an $11.87 bottle of chocolate wine from Walmart? Quite possibly, but that’s ok. This screw-top boozy beverage might be the key to longevity, and if not, it certainly makes living into your late 90s a lot more fun. 

To tell the story of how I found myself sipping Chocovine Dutch Chocolate Wine from Walmart from a plastic cup in assisted living, I need to tell the story of my Great-Aunt Joyce. She was the embodiment of the word fabulous. In her youth, she was a model (of course, she was tall and gorgeous!), and then she found herself behind the lens (or behind the canvas, as it were) when she became a very prolific professional artist.

The Unexpected Key to a Long Life?

I couldn’t even tell you how many pieces she created throughout her long career. From small pen and ink works to large-scale oil paintings, she did it all. My own home is filled with everything from her abstract watercolor landscapes to chalk drawings, including my own portrait at the age of three, done in oil. What better way to achieve immortality than through art that brings people joy and memories long after you are gone? 

Auntie Joyce did it all while wearing her signature red lipstick and a fantastic hat. Throughout her long life, she traveled the world, enjoyed extraordinary cuisine, and sipped fine wines. She was the exuberant cruise director of her own life, making friends along the way, even in her twilight years, when she resided in an assisted living facility.

I have no idea who introduced her to chocolate wine, but one time, as we were on the way for a visit, she asked that we pick up a few bottles. I found it hilarious. She was drinking a glass of it every night before bed. That’s how she rolled. Who was I to judge her digestif of choice? After the age of 90, you get to make the rules.

My Aunt Joyce’s Love for Chocolate Wine

Ever the consummate host, she would offer to pour us a glass as well. There were little plastic mouthwash cups on hand, so that’s what we used. I’d smirk (maybe grimace) as I quickly tried to chug down a few swallows to seem appreciative of the offer.

Now that she has passed, I sometimes find myself looking forward to picking up a bottle while shopping for diapers and school supplies at Walmart. Every once in a while, after my children are asleep, I’ll take a few nostalgic sips while gazing at the gallery of her artwork that hangs on my walls.

If having a few sips carries me to almost 100, I’ll take it. It worked out well for my Auntie Joyce as she savored every day of her life, and did it all with impeccable style.

_{To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE.}