In recent years, I've had trouble deciding which is the better gift: a tangible thing or an experience. The good news for those with a wine or spirits lover on their holiday list is the plethora of options that fill both roles.

For that beer-quaffing friend, you could do a lot worse than a handy 5-liter mini-keg of Newcastle Brown Ale. It might not be big enough for a New Year's Eve party, but it's purportedly good for 30 days (on the very off chance it lasts that long).

Also from across the pond comes a nifty offering for the Irish-whiskey lover. (There are plenty of those hereabouts, with the Local serving more Jameson's than any other venue worldwide.) Tullamore Dew has a seriously cool bottle out there, one that should cause recipients to say. "What a crock!" -- in a good way.

For your basic wine lover, there are some terrific vintages on store shelves now. The Napa cabs and Chateauneuf-du-Papes from 2007 are almost uniformly fabulous, while the 2004 Barolos are delicious, elegant and drinkable at a much earlier age than usual.

If your recipient(s) took a trip this year to a winemaking region -- Argentina, Oregon or even Greece -- consider a bottle from that area, especially if they have mentioned a memorable wine from the trip.

Some wine drinkers tend to get stuck in comfort zones, creating an opportunity to do them the favor of broadening their horizons. For the Napa-cab hound, consider a good syrah (Rocca, Ojai); go with a white Burgundy (Joseph Drouhin, anything from the Colin family) for the California chardonnay lover or a Grower Champagne (Aubry, Pierre Peters) for a big-house bubbly fan.

But there is no need to splurge, because perhaps the best gift is one that keeps on giving precisely because it doesn't cost much. That would be an inexpensive wine that provides fantabulous value at its price point.

It might be a sparkler (Cristolina Rosé Cava, Adami Prosecco, a Gruet from New Mexico) or a dessert wine (the astoundingly underpriced Jonesy port from Australia).

Or a wine that proves a point: that California can produce a great pinot noir under $25 (Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County), a weighty, hearty Napa red under $18 (Steltzner Claret) or just great juice for $12 or less (anything from Cycles Gladiator).

But the very best bet might be an everyday wine that you've discovered, with a handwritten note about why you like it and want to share it.

Think of the best bargain you unearthed in 2009, and then think about how many of your friends would appreciate making just such a discovery. It is, after all, the thought that counts, right?

Bill Ward • bill.ward@startribune.com Read Ward on Wine at startribune.com/blogs/wine.