Right now, we have two couples we plan to give wine as part of their Christmas gifts.

First, there are my in-laws who fell in love with a bottle of Spätlese we had at the house not too long ago. So, okay, that's a done deal. Not real creative, but they aren't big wine drinkers and we already know they like this.

Next, though, is a toughie, my sister and brother-in-law. They have champagne tastes, that's for sure, but with two babies in the house (a one year old and a four year old) they don't get a chance to enjoy a bottle of wine together that often - though you'd think they'd be drinking every night! I guess when you pass out from exhaustion by 8:30pm, you don't have time to enjoy wine.

So, they we can get creative with and after reading this article from South Coast Today, I may have a few ideas:

Giving wine as a gift this holiday season? Consider skipping the obvious French, Italian and California labels and look south - as in south of the equator - for something a little different, a little ahead of the pack and a lot lighter on the wallet.

Australia has already made its name as a quality, affordable alternative with its distinctive shiraz offerings. But now it's joined by New Zealand, South Africa and South America vying for the same market on wine shop shelves and Internet sites.

"There is a smorgasbord of opportunity," says John Gorman, head of the 13-year-old Southern Hemisphere Wine Center in suburban Los Angeles, which specializes in south-of-the-equator producers. "You're going to get more wine for less money than the French and others."

Walking into a wine shop, with arrays of labels and grape types, can be intimidating even if you have a specific region in mind. Asking for guidance from a clerk can help, but it's best to have at least a rough idea of what you're looking for. A light, fruity red? A crisp, dry white? Something with a good pedigree?

Thanks to competition from southern wines, as well as wine gluts in Europe and Australia, you can pick from plenty of pizza-friendly wines that run less than the cost of the pie itself.