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The Spruce Eats / Michela Buttignol
Traditional Advent calendars are filled with chocolate or candy and serve as a countdown to the Christmas holiday (December 25), but in recent years, Advent calendars have become much more creative and much more adult-friendly—still serving up daily treats throughout the month of December but in the form of coffee, beer, whiskey, wine, and more. Wine Advent calendars are particularly fun because they allow you to sample a variety of wines that you might not experience otherwise. After a day of shopping for gifts, searching for perfect table linens, or standing in line for a ham, you can go home and partake in some holiday spirit when you open your wine for the day.
There are several options out there for wine lovers of all types—something for red wine lovers, white wine lovers, and those looking to experiment—and even DIY editions for those who want more say over the wine they sip. Many Advent calendars also have preorders available, which is great because they tend to sell out quickly.
Here, the best wine Advent calendars for festive holiday sipping this year.
Vinebox 12 Nights of Wine
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Vinebox
Vinebox is one of the most popular wine boxes out there and for good reason. The wine comes in glass tubes and the packaging is gorgeous. You can choose from two festive boxes—the Holi-Day Box which features crisp and bright wines, and the 'Twas the Night Box, which is filled with bold, rich, and silky wines.
Each includes 12 tubes of wine (holding a glass each or 100 milliliters) that were carefully selected by Vinebox's certified sommeliers. The wine variety is excellent as well. This year, Vinebox is also introducing a full 24 Nights of Wine Advent calendar.
Shipping Info: Available now with free shipping; someone 21+ must sign for the package
Price at time of publish: $129
"I was sent a sample of last year's calendar, and I had so much fun sampling all of the wines. It's a really festive way to discover new wines. Plus, it's fun to plan a dinner or dessert around each night's pick if you are feeling really inspired." — Mary Kate Hoban, Associate Editorial Director
In Good Taste Wine Advent Calendar
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In Good Taste
In Good Taste specializes in sample-size kits highlighting various grapes and regions, and the brand's wine Advent calendar is a top pick this year. If you consider yourself more of a seasoned wine drinker or wine enthusiast, this is the calendar to purchase this holiday season.
Instead of just 12 days of wine, we like that this calendar is more like a traditional Advent calendar: There are 24 mini bottles, about one glass of wine each (187 milliliters), to enjoy during the December days leading up to Christmas. There are a variety of reds, whites, and rosés from a tangy Sauvignon Blanc to a fruity Syrah.
Shipping Info: Now available for immediate shipping
Price at time of publish: $149.99
"I absolutely love the variety in this calendar. There are some favorites and new discoveries to enjoy, all of which I can read about in the provided wine guide. The bottles are generous, too, with about two glasses each." — Allison Wignall, Staff Writer
Maker Wine 12 Days of Canned Wine Advent Calendar
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Maker
Women-owned, Maker Wine is still fairly new but is already making its mark packaging highly-rated canned wine from independent winemakers. Primarily made up of wines from small, award-winning producers, this fun advent calendar includes 12 cans—the equivalent of 4 bottles—and is a mix of red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. Modern and whimsical at the same time, this makes a great host/hostess gift, and is a fantastic way to celebrate the season and support small wine producers at the same time.
Shipping Info: Ships free to the United States; Can club members save 20%; check site for details;
Price at time of publish: $139
Usual Wines Chrismukkah Wine Collection
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courtesy Usual Wines
If you celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, this merging of Chrismukkah wine selections from Usual Wines is for you. This holiday collection features 12 wines and 8 spritzes and comes in a festive array of varietals and flavors: red, white, rosé, and sparkling, as well as fruity, low-alcohol spritzes in a can. This Chrismukkah wine pack is a sampling of Usual Wines' full collection of California-grown wines and is sure to be popular this holiday season.
Shipping Info: Now available for preorder; someone 21+ must sign for the package
Price at time of publish: $109
Give Them Beer Wine Advent Calendar 2022
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Give Them Beer
Don't be fooled by the name: The Wine Advent Calendar offered by Give Them Beer contains 12 half bottles (375 milliliters) of wine. Each day is numbered, and you simply open the "door" to discover a new wine. It could be a red or white wine from regions all over the world, but you won’t know until you open it—keeping with the surprise element of traditional kids' calendars.
While there are only 12 bottles in this calendar, they are half bottles so you get more than one glass of wine from each bottle (375 milliliters), meaning there is enough to share with a loved one, if you so choose. If you prefer reds, the company also has a special Red Wine Advent Calendar available.
Shipping Info: Now available for preorder; ships in November; someone 21+ must sign for the package
Price at time of publish: $169
GiveThemBeer 2022 Sparkling Wine Advent Calendar
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GiveThemBeer
Givethembeer.com’s other wine countdown calendar, packaged in a blue-and-white box with a fireworks design, is ideal for bubbly lovers, with 12 different mini bottles of Prosecco, sparkling rosé, and other sparkling wines. Open a door to discover your sparkling surprise each day in the form of a 187-milliliter bottle. Also great for ringing in the New Year, it’s available to order now and typically sells out quickly.
Shipping Info: Now available for preorder; delivery begins early November; someone 21+ must sign for the package
Price at time of publish: $119
Usual Wines Mixed Pack
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Usual
Advent calendars tend to sell out fast, and if your favorite option isn't available, don't despair. You can create a DIY wine Advent calendar with the Usual Wines Mixed Pack, which includes your choice of 6, 12 or 24 small bottles from a selection split between red, rosé, and brut options. Or, if you want just one type, you can order all of the same.
Each of the bottles contains 6.3 ounces—just enough for a generous pour. Usual Wines is known for sustainably farmed, small-batch wines in California, and there are no added sugar or additives.
Shipping Info: Free shipping; available for shipping immediately for 12+ bottles.
Price at time of publish: $48-$192
Harry & David Vinter's Choice 12 Days of Bubbles Advent Calendar
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Harry & David
Sparkling wine is a classic staple of celebrations. If you want to share bubbly drinks with friends and family this holiday season, check out the Vinter's Choice 12 Days of Bubbles Advent Calendar by Harry & David. This calendar features four types of sparkling wine from Barefoot, including four bottles of brut cuvée, four bottles of brut rosé, four bottles of moscato spumante, and four bottles of pink moscato. What it lacks in variety it more than makes up for in bubbles. Each bottle is 187 milliliters, perfect for one generous glass or two to split.
Shipping Info: Now available for purchase and shipping; not available in all locations
Price at time of publish: $99.99
Total Wine Most Wonderful Wine Advent Calendar 2022
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Total Wine
This full 24 day wine advent calendar by Total Wine is perfect for those who like variety and surprises. The 187 milliliter bottles include a number of varietals from all around the world. Each box is different based on location and availability. Some wines may include red blends from Italy, rosé, claret, or a French chardonnay. The packaging is fun and festive, featuring holiday-themed animals and pines.
Shipping Info: Now available for purchase and shipping; not available in all locations
Price at time of publish: $79.99
BuyWinesOnline.com Holiday Sweater Wine Advent Calendar
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BuyWinesOnline.com
Who doesn't love a good holiday sweater? This Advent calendar combines festive sweaters with tasty wines. It features 12 mini bottles of wine, each one a different varietal-sweet riesling, cabernet sauvignon-syrah, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot grigio, red blend, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon-merlot, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and rosé.
BuyWinesOnline.com also has two other wine advent calendars available, each with unique wintry packaging and different wines to taste. Both the Jumping Reindeer calendar and the Snowman Wine calendar have 24 bottles.
Shipping Info: Now available for purchase and shipping
Price at time of publish: $59.95-$89.95
Studio29ElevenDesign Mini Wine Bottle Advent Calendar
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Etsy
Wine Advent calendars go fast and they can be tricky to order with availability and shipping varying from state to state, so if you want to take matters into your own hands, we found a particularly festive DIY solution that you can reuse year after year. Shaped like a tree, this calendar will hold 25 mini wine bottles of your choosing. Fill the tree with your favorite bottles from a recent trip—this could become something you collect for all throughout the year—or perhaps bottles from your dream wine region. This also makes a fun gift or cute activity for roommates or couples.
Minimal assembly is required—no tools—so the only real work is deciding on the wines and filling it. It stores flat so you can put it away with the holiday decorations and pull out again year after year.
Shipping Info: Now available for purchase and shipping
Price at time of publish: $39.99-$49.99 (with engraving)
A top pick that sells out quickly each year, Vinebox's 12 Nights of Wine is available for preorder now. Another great option, which features 24 mini bottles of wine to enjoy throughout the month of December, is In Good Taste's Wine Advent Calendar. This one is also available for preorder.
What to Look for in a Wine Advent Calendar
Variety
There are a lot of Advent calendars on the market so you should think about which style you want. Do you want it to have larger bottles of wine or mini bottles? Should it last for 24 days or 12 days? Are you looking for wines from the same region for further exploration or will this calendar be a fun way to try new things from all over the world? These questions can help you decide which advent calendar would be best for you. Some allow for customization and there are even DIY varieties.
Availability
These calendars move fast—like lightning fast—and you need to factor in shipping time if you want to start on December 1. If you want one, decide the type you’re looking for (from our list above, of course), then buy it right away. If the one you want sells out, DIY options are a great way to count down with wine this season.
Price
No matter which calendar you order, do keep in mind that you are getting several bottles of wine specially packaged and shipped to you (so they can be expensive). Pricing varies based on a couple of factors: The size of the bottles and how many bottles are in the calendar, 12 or 24. Some vendors are offering free shipping for preorders as well, which is a nice touch.
FAQs
What is a wine Advent calendar?
Advent comes from the Latin word for "coming toward" and is a season in the Christian church that comes just before Christmas, December 25. Advent calendars are also used for gift calendars in December as we are coming toward Christmas. A wine Advent calendar celebrates those days of anticipation with a small bottle of wine in a box, labeled by the days, for one to open, drink, and enjoy. A traditional Advent calendar has something for each day of the month of December, but some wine calendars go with the "12 days of Christmas" theme instead. Of course, no matter what holiday you celebrate (or don't celebrate) you can partake in the festivity of the season with samples of wine during the month of December.
When do Advent calendars start?
Traditional Advent calendars start on December 1, although the actual start date of the season of Advent varies each year. Advent calendars typically span 24 days leading up to December 25, but many wine Advent calendars only feature 12 days.
When should you order your wine Advent calendar?
As soon as possible! Wine Advent calendars famously sell out from every vendor every year, so act quickly.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Tanisha Townsend is a freelance writer for The Spruce Eats and the founder and chief wine officer of Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency. She lives in Paris, France, where she conducts wine and food pairing experiences, hosts a podcast, and teaches wine courses at universities.
Allison Wignall, who updated this article, is a writer who focuses on food and travel. She’s traveled to vineyards around the world, learning about wine from the experts themselves. Her work has been featured in publications such as Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and Southern Living.
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