Gone are the days of kids being the only ones encouraged to enjoy the countdown to Christmas. From options packed with beer and gin to those filled with beauty products, jewellery, tea, coffee and more, grown-up advent calendars are officially in. For oenophiles, there’s a glut of glorious wine advent calendars to enjoy, too.
Amping up the festivities during December, wine advent calendars are seeing increased competition year on year. We’re not talking about cheap plonk, either, as the quality is steadily increasing and, as more creators come onboard, we’re seeing even more splashes of innovation hidden behind those calendar doors.
If you love your wine, you’ll no doubt like the idea of trying new styles whenever possible, and that’s exactly what the best wine advent calendars offer. Whether it be 12 slightly bigger bottles or 24 large-glass-sized sippers, you’re in for a treat this year.
We’ve looked at what’s out there, to give you an honest indication of where to spend your money, so you can sip in style. With all the mayhem of the festive season, a wine advent calendar makes a perfect little gift to yourself – you’ve earned it, after all.
How we tested
For each advent calendar, we considered how appealing the packaging was and, most importantly, if the wine inside it was worthy of your investment. On tasting, each wine in the advent calendars was given time to breathe and tasted from universal glassware, to ensure a fair comparison across the board. As well as the quality of the wine, we considered value for money and variety when deciding which calendars will best help you kick off your countdown to Christmas in style. Keep scrolling to find out which ones impressed us the most.
The best wine advent calendars for 2024 are:
Why you can trust us
Aidy Smith is an award-winning TV presenter, broadcaster and journalist. He is the presenter of Amazon Prime’s drinks-themed travel series The Three Drinkers and is frequently heard across TV and radio. Seek out more of his drinks discoveries at @Sypped.
Virgin Wines mixed wine advent calendar
Bestselling and ever reliable, Virgin Wines’s advent calendars are always worth the money – in fact, the brand brought the concept to the UK in the first place. There are all-white and all-red versions but, for the best of both worlds, this mixed calendar features 24 mini bottles of red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines. From bold reds from the Andes to a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc and a festive prosecco from Veneto, each door reveals something special. As a bonus, there’s a full-sized bottle of shiraz waiting behind door 25 – perfect for Christmas Day. This beautifully designed box is filled with unique, smaller producers, making it an exciting gift for any wine-lover.
Buy now £89.99, Virginwines.co.uk
Laithwaites mixed 2024 advent calendar
This festive treat counts you down to Christmas with 23 quarter-bottles of red, white, and rosé wines from around the world. But that’s not all – for the first time ever, Laithwaites is including a premium bottle of Alessandro Gallici’s prosecco (worth £25) to enjoy on Christmas Eve. The selection of vinos hidden inside the calendar is varied, with wines of all styles included. Demand is likely to be high for this one, so, grab yours while you can.
Buy now £99.99, Laithwaites.co.uk
Perfect Cellar fine wine advent calendar
For more fine wine, how about Perfect Cellar’s advent, featuring 24 expertly curated wines from world-class regions. From bordeaux and burgundy to barolo and rioja, this limited-edition calendar offers generous 100ml servings of fine wines, each chosen to impress. Whether you’re treating yourself or sending this calendar as a luxurious gift, each day promises a new discovery, including top-tier selections such as Margaux and cru classe provence. It’s a festive countdown for those who truly appreciate the art of wine.
Buy now £189.00, Perfectcellar.com
The Little Fine Wine Co luxury wine advent case
The Little Fine Wine Co offers a simple, quality membership scheme, with rotating themes each month and half bottles delivered to your door. These same half bottles are what you’ll be opening every other day with this advent, which features a mix of elegant styles, from rich reds and crisp whites to champagne, sweet, and fortified wines. Highlights include a brunello, grand cru bordeaux, and two bottles of sparkling wine. Alternatively, you can make things more of a surprise with the bespoke mystery cases, which are tailored to individual tastes.
Buy now £250.00, Thelittlefinewinecompany.co.uk
Quevedo port wine advent calendar
If you want something even more Christmassy, what about a calendar full of delicious port? As pioneers of port innovation and sustainability, the Quevedo family has poured decades of expertise into their wines, and their focus on converting vineyards to organic makes this calendar not only a delicious treat but also an ethical one. Based in the heart of the Douro Valley, the Quevedos have made a name for themselves with their small-batch, high-quality ports. When it comes to this calendar, each day brings a new port to savour, from rich ruby ports to rare, aged tawny ports. Highlights include a 30-year-old tawny port, exclusive to this calendar, and a colheita 1997 port, making this a truly luxurious advent experience.
Buy now £69.00, Vintageportshop.co.uk
Good Pair Days 12 wines of christmas advent calendar
Good Pair Days is a wine subscription service that matches people with wine, based on their tastes – and the reviews are seriously impressive. The brand is so confident you’ll love its choices, in fact, this is one of the few calendars to include full 750ml bottles – perfect for sharing and celebrating on Christmas Day. The wines inside are a delightful mystery, offering a mix of indie gems and iconic favourites from around the world. With curated tasting notes, recipes, and wine pairings, plus a free insulated tumbler to keep your mulled wine warm or your bubbly chilled, it’s a hefty package. There are a few classic options (mixed, chillable and red), but then some ‘fancy’ upgrades for an extra £100, if you really want to treat yourself to some even special wines.
Buy now £140.00, Goodpairdays.com
The Online Wine Tasting Club luxury wine advent calendar, around the wine world in 24 days
Last year, The Online Wine Tasting Club took buyers of their calendar on a B-Z varietal tour, and this year they’ve come up with another interesting concept: a globetrotting adventure. Beginning in England’s Crouch Valley, you’ll make your way back home to Sussex, but not before stopping off in Europe, China, Australia, Uruguay, and Portugal, to name a few. With all bottles ranging between £12 to £40, there is a clear focus on quality wine that expresses wildly different terroir.
Buy now £99.95, Onlinewinetasting.club
Brixton Wine Club advent calendar
Back for its fourth year, the Brixton Wine Club advent calendar brings a festive twist to anyone wanting to explore UK-based start-ups and award-winning independent producers. Each can comes with tasting notes, ensuring you’ll learn something new while sipping some truly exciting wines. With a focus on fun and approachability, this calendar features 24 delicious cans of wine, ranging from 187ml to 250ml, all sourced from 10 countries. Highlights include a Mediterranean orange wine, a low-intervention riesling from Germany, and sparkling wine from New Zealand.
Buy now £130.00, Brixtonwineclub.com
The 67 Pall Mall sommeliers’ calendar
The iconic private members club and wine connoisseur’s playground has its own swanky advent calendar devoted to fine wine. Replicating the building itself, the calendar takes things to a whole new level of elite wine discovery, housing 24 miniature glass bottles. As you might expect, the selection has been curated featuring fine wines from celebrated regions such as Burgundy and Bordeaux, with a few less-well-known gems, too. Every bottle comes with a QR code leading to an expert-led tasting video, so you can swirl, sip and taste with a virtual pro, and, unlike the club, you don’t need to be a member to enjoy it. While the calendar may not be the cheapest, 67 Pall Mall recently made a commitment to support the Golden Vines Foundation, which enables key programmes aiding those from underrepresented communities within the wine and spirits industry. So, you can sip knowing you’re also supporting a good cause.
Buy now £475.00, 67pallmall.com
The verdict: Wine advent calendars
With an ever-growing choice of advent calendars on the market, the competition continues to stiffen each year. Each calendar tested here offered a decent quality of wine, with some bottles a bit more quaffable than others.
It was nice to see a solid number of advents coming in at less than £100, with Virgin Wines, The Online Wine Tasting Club, Quevedo, and Laithwaite’s leading this category. Meanwhile, Brixton Wine Club, Good Pair Days and The Little Fine Wine Company all offered something a little different to what you’d usually expect. If premium luxury is your vibe, Perfect Cellar has a fantastic value-for-money selection, while 67 Pall Mall offers something on the uber luxe side.
Ultimately, there can only be one top spot, though, and claiming that accolade for a second year running is Virgin Wines. This calendar offers a phenomenal selection of wines, given its wallet-friendly price point, which is matched with a stunning design, making it stand out from the crowd.
For more festive food and drink, read our round-up of the best vegan advent calendars 2024
