Don't whine about the wine

So you're no sommelier; you can still gift like one.

Dan Swick, wine consultant and manager of Wine Emporium Ltd. in Lemont, has some helpful advice to make you look just like a wine steward.

If you're shopping for a hostess gift or just a holiday gift for the wine lover on your list, expect to spend upward of $8 to get a decent bottle, Swick said.

"There are a lot of good quality wines at $9.99," he said.

Sparkling wines, champagnes, Zinfandels, Pinot Noirs, Reislings and Sauvignon Blancs all have broad appeal.

But maybe you want to impress the people on your list with something trendy.

Opt for Albarino from Spain, a nice, dry wine that's really hot in wine bars right now, Swick said. Or go with Malbec out of Argentina. Then again, you can't go wrong with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or an Austrian Gurner Veltiner, which is a blend of pear and citrus flavors.