Christmas is a time for goodwill to all men (and women) - and that includes the oenophiles amongst you.
Wine lovers have more reason than ever to get into the festive spirit this December thanks to the new wave of booze-filled advent calendars filled to the brim with choice fermented grapes.
Wine advent calendars are the grown-up upgrade to traditional chocolate, offering the same excitement and daily indulgence as its innocent predecessor.
These days alcohol-spiked calendars are available for every kind of imbiber, with gin, rum and whisky designs all ready to have their windows peeled open from now until December 25.
For those who love nothing more than a chilled glass to close the day, what’s better than a wine advent calendar?
The idea isn’t to leave you redder than Rudolf though; it’s about appreciating new grapes from domestic and foreign vineyards, all while learning more about your favourite vino.
Expect to find a mini bottle of wine behind each window (12 or 24 is typical). If you’re lucky, there could even be a full-sized bottle concealed behind window 25 to enjoy with friends and family over Christmas lunch. Choose from all-white, all-red or mixed cases to widen your wine horizons.
Whether you’re treating yourself or looking to put a little fizz into someone else’s Christmas, we’ve gathered 2021’s best wine advent calendars below.
The Wine Boutique Freixenet Sparkling Wine 12 Day Advent Calendar
It’s raise-a-glass season, and the best way to toast Yuletide is surely with Freixenet’s 12-day advent calendar. The glittering metallic packaging is home to 12 of the brand’s various sparkling wine, from Prosecco, to Cava, Italian Sparkling Rose and Cava Rosado. The mini bottles offer a wonderfully sparkling way to countdown to Christmas this year.
For true indulgence, upgrade to the chocolate and sparkling wine.
Brixton Wine Club advent calendar
Make having vino an every day event - in December at least - with Brixton Wine Club. It's just launched an advent calendar filled with wine tinnies: a selection of 24 reds, whites, bubbles - cocktails too! Pre-order now for delivery in mid-November. If you’re looking for a way to support local businesses with your advent calendar choice this year, it’s time to stop the search.
John Lewis Wine Advent Calendar
The pretty winter woodland scene that covers the front of this hefty box is mesmerising enough to distract you from the contents - but not quite. Hidden behind the festive facade sits 24 x 187ml bottles of red and white wine, ready to enjoy at leisure every evening until Christmas Day. Think of it as a personal Christmas wine cellar.
Prefer fizz? Find a sparkling wine version here for £130.
£80 | John Lewis SOLD OUT
Virgin Wines Advent Calendars
It’s that time of year again: time to cash in your piggy bank savings in exchange for one of Virgin Wine’s incredible wine calendars. Available to reserve for just £10 a pop, choose between a mixed wine, all-red and all-white wine calendar. Each one holds 25 bottles and is brimming with delicious grapes from around the world as well as limited edition bottles.
Wine Down To Christmas Advent Calendar
You’ll need to clear some room for this advent calendar, but if you’re serious about wine, that will be no trouble. Behind each of the 24 windows sits a 187ml - 200ml bottle of world class red, white or rose wine, enough for a glassful with which to close the day. Pre-order is open now for delivery from November 1.
67 Pall Mall Sommeliers’ Advent Calendar 2021
Experts in all things grapes, 67 Pall Mall has used it's extensive knowledge to offer a trio of boozy advent calendars this year. From the incredibly detailed packaging, which depicts the façade of the brand's famous building to the interior chambers which hold 24 x 75ml bottles of wine chosen by 67PM's sommelier, this is a celebration of elegance and style. To help further understand what you're drinking, each wine comes with a QR, which, once scanned on your smartphone, transforms into a tasting video. An education.
There’s also Burgundy and Bordeaux calendars, each offering 24 mini bottles from the famous wine-producing regions.
Laithwaites wine advent calendars
True oenophiles have patiently been waiting all year for Laithwaite's wine-filled advent calendars, and this year's selection does not disappoint. The drinks experts have pulled together a holy trinity of options, from all-red, all-white and a mixed wine case which includes a half bottle of champers. Each option is designed handsomely with an illustrated building exterior.
