‘Di-vine’ wine advent calendars for a plonk-filled countdown to Christmas 2022

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping expertsSign up for our free IndyBest emailA firm fixture on many households’ festive ritual list, the advent calendar has had a glow-up of late. Switching out the more-traditional chocolate or cutesy image behind each door, a new wave of calendars is instead opting for luxe surprises.Over the past few years, the concept of a calendar that delivers additional cheer has taken off, with an increasing number of options available for wine lovers.These span the full spectrum of tastes, from whites to red and sparkling wines, as well as more niche tastes, with some delivering fine wines or on-the-rise natural wines.These adult-only advent calendars come in various forms, with some celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, others the full month of December. Some deliver their goods in miniature bottles, others in innovative formats to save on weight and packaging.As well as providing daily festive cheer, some also offer an education in lesser-known grapes or winemakers, with QR codes and tasting notes to help identify new-found favourites.How we testedTo test, we assessed each calendar for its design, construction and, of course, its contents. Did they bring joy? Did they provide an adequate countdown to Christmas? And were the wines any good?Finally, other factors, including size, weight and sustainability also came into play when determining a winner. Bear in mind, the text below contains spoiler alerts, as we call out some of the star wines that illustrate the quality of each calendar.With the countdown to Christmas now on, the following eight calendars are a perfect way to get the party started.The best wine advent calendars for 2022 are:Best overall for a mixed selection – Virgin Wines mixed wine advent calendar: £89.99, Virginwines.co.ukBest for experimentalists – Brixton Wine Club advent calendar: £125, Brixtonwineclub.comBest for great value – Aldi wine advent calendar: £59.99, Aldi.co.ukBest for wine afficionados – Laithwaites fine wine calendar: £150, Laithwaites.co.ukBest for fans of fizz – Freixenet sparkling wine 12-day advent calendar: £75, Notonthehighstreet.comBest white wine selection – Smashed Grapes wine advent calendar: £79.99, Smashedgrapes.co.ukBest for sophisticated sipping – John Lewis wine advent calendar: £85, Johnlewis.comBest for everyday cheer – Wine down to Christmas advent calendar: £79, Prezzybox.comWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Already subscribed? Log in