Holiday Guide 2009: Spice up your gifts with a slew of booze

Few holiday gifts are more welcomed than booze, and interesting selections abound at many price points—including a few choice locally produced items. Below are some strategies that will make you look like a big spender without breaking the bank, and remember: There's always the chance that the recipient will crack open the bottle right then and there so you can enjoy it with them.

Wines with Funny Names
Everybody likes wines that make them chuckle when they read the label, and some are actually quite palatable.      • Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc: This crisp New Zealand refreshes with bright citrus aromas and a ripe grapefruit flavor. Bring it to the holiday party already iced down and your host will probably pour it straight from the gift bag. $12.99 • Red Guitar Tempranillo Grenache: What could be a more appropriate gift in Guitar Town than this powerful Spanish red? Loaded with black fruit and raspberry, Red Guitar has a surprisingly complex long finish for such an affordable wine. $11.99

Wines from a Region That Nobody Knows Anything About
Show off your oenophile status by gifting wine from exotic little-known wine regions, and you'll minimize the chances that anyone at the party has already tried it before. • La Mano Mencia: From the tiny Bierzo region in the "shoulder" of northwest Spain and made from a varietal reminiscent of Cabernet Franc, this wine is spicy and smooth-textured with earthy notes of mulberry and blueberry. $9.99 • Golan Moscato: Israeli wine? That's right, this is a holiday gift guide—not just Christmas. This is a lightly sparkling dessert wine made from grapes grown near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Bright notes of citrus blossoms, guava and ripe melon make Golan Moscato an excellent choice as a degustation with some good stinky cheese after a holiday meal. $14.99

Wines with Cool Labels
Lots of us pick wines because of the label art, and that's OK—just think of what you can save on wrapping paper. • Mosen Cleto Crianza: A medium-bodied Spanish red, this wine really stands out with a unique sandy bottle that makes it look like an ancient vintage from the depths of the cellar. $9.99 • Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva: A deep ruby-colored Spanish red with pleasant aromas of leather and vanilla. Aged 10 years and packaged in an attractive mesh sleeve, this wine screams "classy." $12.99 • Bully Hill Traminette: A semi-sweet white from the Hudson Valley region of New York state, Traminette is a cousin of the Gewürztraminer grape. The soft, sweet finish of spicy peaches make this an appealing choice, and the psychedelic dalmatian on the label makes it memorable. $12.99

Local Beer and Booze
If the fruit of the vine is not your thing, then we go local. Long-time Nashville favorite Yazoo Brewing Company's popular high-alcohol cherrywood-smoked imperial porter Yazoo Sue is available in bottles—and who wouldn't love a beer named Sue? After Yazoo makes their move to the Gulch, Corsair Artisan Distillery takes over their Marathon Village spot. Their small-batch offerings of Gin-Head Style Gin, Vanilla Bean Vodka, Red Absinthe, Spiced Rum, Wry Moon Unaged Rye Whiskey and Pumpkin Spice Moonshine would be welcome under just about anyone's tree on Christmas morning. The buzz about the Pumpkin concoction has been especially loud among local epicures.