Advent calendars are used all over the world as a festive way to mark off each day of Advent each winter.
While traditional Advent calendars have included small pictures, gifts, or candies each day, one of the most popular trends over the past few years has been versions that include small servings of wine each day.
There are many different themed wine Advent calendars to choose from, so we are here to help you pick on that best suits your tastes.
Quick Links
- Costco Wine Advent-ure Calendar
- Aldi Winter Wonderland Wine Advent Calendar
- Vinebox 12 or 24 Nights of Wine
- Total Wine Most Wonderful Wine Advent Calendar
- Sip and Savor Snowman Sweater Wine Advent Calendar
Choosing the Right Wine Advent Calendar
There are many different ways to put together an advent calendar, and many styles can be done at home with a small budget and some ingenuity. Wine Advent calendars on the other hand can’t be made at home, and there are many different companies that produce them every year.
Price and Value
One of the most important considerations to make when making any purchase is the price of the item and where it fits within your budget. There are a variety of different wine Advent calendars on the market today featuring everything from everyday wines to more sought-after selections.
While the overall price of an advent calendar is an important consideration to make, it is also important to weigh the overall value of the included wines vs the total cost. Certain wine Advent calendars provide better values than others, giving customers bigger discounts on included wines.
Casual wine enthusiasts should be fine sticking with a value-based wine Advent calendar, as the included everyday selections are usually approachable for newer wine palates. Budget-based calendars can cost under $100 and include up to 24 individual servings of wine.
While some higher-end wine Advent calendars focus more on quality than price and can include high-end selections from around the world, the majority of them are fairly moderately priced and it is rare to find one priced over $200.
Included Wine Styles
The majority of wine Advent calendars on the market today feature a mix of different wine styles and varietals, with the vast majority of selections being produced in the United States. They often feature medium to high sweetness levels, which is great for casual wine enthusiasts.
While these approachable everyday selections may be great fits for newer wine drinkers, there are serious wine enthusiasts that only enjoy one particular style of wine or are very partial to wines that are produced in one specific part of the world.
For more serious wine enthusiasts, there are high-end wine Advent calendars that feature dry wine selections from a variety of different old-world wine regions. There are also options to single in one style of wine by choosing between red and white.
For the most part, it is best to stick with a wine Advent calendar that features a good mix of wine styles from all over the world. Some of the best options on the market will feature everything from dry red wine to sweet red blends and crisp whites.
Rosé wines are also often added to the mix in many different popular wine Advent calendars, which make for a light and refreshing change of pace on the palate after drinking a mixture of red and white wines each day.
Theme and Decorations
While wine-based Advent calendars are a theme of their own, there are many different styles and approaches that companies take when crafting these calendars. The majority of them are holiday themed, and there are many different styles to match your preferences.
Costco makes one of the most popular wine advent calendars on the market, as their members are very loyal and purchase just about all of their holidays needs in-store each year. Their calendar is named the “Wine Advent-ure,” and focuses on palate exploration with new wines.
Another popular brick-and-mortar retailer that offers an extremely popular wine advent calendar is Aldi, which has named its selection “Winter Wonderland.” It is holiday themed and comes in a beautiful white and blue box with snowflakes and holiday decorations.
Other wine Advent calendars use non-traditional shapes and bottles to stick out from the crowd, with Vinebox leading the way in terms of non-traditional packaging. They assemble their calendar using sleek wine tubes allowing them to present a much smaller and sleeker package.
Included Extras
While all wine Advent calendars feature a new selection of single-serving wine each day leading up to Christmas, there are a number of different added features and inclusions that set some calendars apart from others.
There are certain wine advent calendars that include thoughtful extras like tasting notes to help customers follow along with new wines while developing their palates and learning to identify different tastes.
There are also options on the market that include food pairings for each wine selection, which work to elevate the flavors of both the food and wine for a more enjoyable overall experience. Some also include recipes for customers to follow along and create each dish at home.
Name Brand and Reputation
Choosing a wine Advent calendar that comes from a trusted name is one of the best ways to ensure a high-quality box that is both consistent in quality and readily available. There are some wine boxes that have developed a very good reputation over the last several years.
The majority of selections available online today are put together by online-based wine delivery companies. There has been a major rise in companies offering wine advent calendars over the past few years, so it is important to stick with a trusted and reputable company.
Another important consideration to make is whether the wine Advent calendar will be for personal use or given away as a gift. If giving the calendar as a gift, it is important to think about the recipient and how they will perceive the package.
Choosing a service or company that you know the recipient is either partial to or already uses is a great way to make sure that the gift is well received. Other brands have become very popular over the last several years, and are better off purchased in person.
Two of these Advent wine calendars that have gained huge followings and massive popularity over the past few years are the selections from Aldi and Costco. Both calendars offer fantastic value and are sure to be recognized by even casual wine enthusiasts.
Top 5 Wine Advent Calendars
There are dozens of different options on the market today when it comes to wine Advent calendar options, and a quick online search can easily leave customers overwhelmed.
We have handpicked five of the best options available today and highlighted the most important features of each.
1. Costco Wine Advent-ure Calendar
Pros
- Includes 24 bottles of wine that measure 375ml, or one half bottle
- Large wine portion one would expect from Costco
- Beautifully decorated box with “punch through” top functionality
- Worldly selections from all over the globe including Italy and France
- Great variety of different wine styles for a well-rounded box
- Reasonable prices as each half bottle averages out to around $4
Cons
- In previous years, Costco has featured multiple boxes with different wine styles
- While there is a large amount of wine included, none is considered “high-end”
- Requires the use of a Costco membership to purchase
2. Aldi Winter Wonderland Wine Advent Calendar
Pros
- One of the most popular options on the market
- Has a very dedicated following which makes it a great gift
- Does not require any membership for purchase
- Does not require waiting for delivery and can be picked up in one day
- Beautifully holiday-themed box decoration and aesthetic
- Features a good mix of wine styles from all over the world
Cons
- Not the best options for those who are fans of only high-end wines
- Requires a bit of flexibility in terms of wine style and choices
- No included extras like tasting notes or food pairings
3. Vinebox 12 or 24 Nights of Wine
Pros
- Two different options to suit different budgets and needs
- Features sleek tube-like bottles that present the wine beautifully
- Comes from one of the top names in online wine sales
- Very popular and has sold out for six consecutive years
- High-end wines compared to many other wine boxes
- Features a good mix of red, white, and Rosé selections
Cons
- One of the more expensive options on the market
- Featured dry wines are not the best option for newer wine enthusiasts
- Included wine quantity is smaller than some other options
4. Total Wine Most Wonderful Wine Advent Calendar
Pros
- Popular option that is recognizable by a number of different wine enthusiasts
- Offered by a large brand making it available both online and in-store
- One of the more affordable options on the market
- Features 24 single-serving bottles for just under $80
- Global selections of wines from all over the world
- Features a solid mix of different wine styles
Cons
- Everyday wines are value based and not of the highest quality
- Some of the included wines are too sweet for some customers
- Not much change or innovation from Total Wine year over year
5. Sip and Savor Snowman Sweater Wine Advent Calendar
Pros
- Great mix of different included grape varietals
- Only two included wines are blends, with the rest being single varietal
- 12 different wine styles with two bottles of each included
- Affordable price of just under $90
- Decorative red box is holiday themed and shaped like a gingerbread house
- Features a fun punch-through cardboard system to access wines from the front
Cons
- Some customers prefer the name-brand recognition of a larger company
- Duplicate wines make for a more limited selection compared to other boxes
- Only available for online purchase which requires waiting for shipping
Final Thoughts
While each of the five wine Advent calendars we have highlighted represents the best options on the market today, there is one option that stands above the rest in terms of being a crowd-pleaser for the largest possible audience.
The Aldi “Winter Wonderland” wine advent calendar is the best option on the market today, is available for in-person pick-up, and does not require a membership like the popular option from Costco.
