For the wine aficionado on your Christmas list, a bottle is always a good choice. But the most expensive wine you can find may not be, even if money is no object.

The first thing to consider is how much you can afford. Wines can cost anywhere from less than $5 to several hundred dollars. You don't want to spend so much on the wine you can't buy anyone else a gift, but on the other hand, you don't want to spend so little you insult someone.

Three other factors in your decision will be 1)Who is the gift for?, 2) What kind of wine do they like? and 3) Where can I find the best deal? As with any other gift, this answer may vary.

WHO IS MY GIFT FOR?

If I buy a bottle of wine for my dad, it's going to be one price. He has collected wine for 30 years, and is somewhat particular about his choices. If I buy too low-priced a bottle, he will wonder why I didn't just buy him some cheap wineglass charms instead.

Since the high-priced wines aren't in my budget, I'll focus on finding something unique. He lives too far away from Temecula to find many of that region's wines. I live relatively close to Temecula, so I will focus my search for his gift on wines from there. Since he's well aware I have to be budget-conscious, he would appreciate a bottle from me in the $20 to $50 price range. For him, I would probably pick a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. He likes the hearty flavor of this red wine.

If I were buying wine for anyone else - brothers-in-law, friends, co-workers or even a boss - I wouldn't spend quite so much on their wine. But, since many people know I'm a bit of a wine expert, they might drop hints that they'd love one of my selections as a gift. In that case, I'd be heading for the new wine discount store that just opened in my neighborhood to pick out a bottle in the $8 to $15 range.

WHAT KIND OF WINE DO THEY LIKE?

If I didn't know their wine preferences, I'd play it safe and pick out a Chardonnay for them. This white wine, if aged properly, has a smooth, buttery taste. It is good by itself, or with a meal.

But if I knew they liked reds, I'll usually go with either a Pinot Noir or a Merlot. Both of these have good flavors, but aren't as hearty as the Cabs. They're usually less expensive than the Cabs as well.

Wines range in price from less than $5 a bottle to more than $600 a bottle. I've only seen those on the highest end of this scale at fine restaurants, so I'm not sure they can be bought at this price for gift giving. However,

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