Gary Ottonello

You’re never too old for an Advent calendar, and though we’re not officially done with summer yet, I already bought myself In Good Taste’s Red, White and Rosé wine Advent calendar. This unique Advent calendar has sold out the last four years, so I recommend snagging it before it’s gone forever!

I gifted this Advent calendar to my wine-loving dad a few years back, and he loved it so much that I decided to see what all the fuss was about and bought it for myself last year, and now this year. I’ve tried many wine Advent calendars over the years, but this one truly is the best so I gift it to myself every holiday season.

The In Good Taste Advent calendar makes a fun and unique gift for yourself or that vino-loving friend or family member. Not only does it include high-quality wines and cute packaging but you'll get extras like a tasting guide and daily emails and videos to learn more about the wine of the day.

What I liked about it

Gary Ottonello

For some reason, many wine calendars only include 12 days of wine, but this one comes with 24 days’ worth of wine. I get that the box of 24 mini bottles might be a little big, but it’s a small price to pay for a lot of happiness. Each mini bottle is 6.32 ounces and you can choose from three different options: Red, White and Rosé, All Red or the Boisset Collection.

I’ve gotten myself the Red, White and Rosé version twice now — which includes 14 reds, seven whites and three rosés — so I can try out new varieties and switch things up. Depending on which box you choose, the wine is sourced from regions like Italy, Spain, Argentina, California and more. Some varietials you can try include sauvignon blanc, malbec and shiraz.

In addition to the tasting guide that includes helpful food pairings, In Good Taste offers videos where one of the founders explains what kind of wine and grape is being offered that day, tasting notes and some background on the wine and the region it comes from. You can even sign up for daily emails, which is a nice added touch that makes the whole experience a little more interactive.

When I like one of the wines, I keep the empty bottle so I can find the full-size version later. The bottles are also very chic, so I’ve reused them as mini flower vases.

What I didn’t like about it

If I had one gripe (and I’m really nitpicking here), I would love it if the box included a mini bottle of sparkling wine, which other Advent calendars I’ve had in the past include — usually for the 24th day. But this is a minor complaint that I can overlook because of all the other add-ons that make this Advent calendar so special.

Bottom line

Trust me when I tell you that you will have a very merry December if you treat yourself or a loved one to In Good Taste’s wine Advent calendar. You may think it’s too early to buy an Advent calendar — after all, it’s not even Halloween yet — but considering the Bonne Maman calendar flew off the shelves after it launched this summer and The Home Depot’s iconic Skelly is always selling out, it’s a wise idea to stock up ahead of time.

Another reason you don’t want to wait to buy? You can get $20 off and free shipping right now when you preorder. And since they don’t ship until November, there’s no risk of being tempted to break into your stash ahead of the holiday season. But don’t wait to add it to your cart or it might be gone for the year!