You still have time to find something for a wine lover

With the holiday looming and shopping time coming down to the last few hours, here are a few (relatively) hassle-free suggestions that will make your wine lover happy.

For the beginner: Nothing is more fun that a light introduction to wine that provides a bit of knowledge and tasting guidance. The Wine 101 class at Corkbuzz ($55) is offered routinely, and registration can be done online. Taught by the knowledgeable and entertaining Shawn Paul, it’s a fun way to begin a wine journey.

Karen MacNeil’s book “The Wine Bible” is a delight, and the new edition has just been released. Gift it to a wine lover’s Kindle for $11.99, or pick it up at any bookstore. MacNeil’s book is all-encompassing, engaging, and a delight to read. Perhaps pair it with an unusual bottle or two from different wine regions, for a magic carpet ride to a faraway wine place.

The Wine Vault at the Shoppes at University Place, 9009 J.M. Keynes Drive, can put together a last-minute gift basket of a couple of fun bottles complete with gift wrap, and you can grab a glass for yourself while you wait. Details: www.headwino.com.

For the aficionado: Wine lovers are often interested in trying new and exciting wines, or wines from smaller, off-beat producers. Enoround at Winestore (locations near SouthPark at 720 Governor Morrison St., in Blakeney at 9831 Rea Road, and Lake Norman at 19400 Jetton Road) is a tasting machine that offers sips from many different wines at a time. Give a gift card, and your wine lover can load up a tasting card and experiment with the ever-changing and interesting rotation all year long.

A membership to a wine club is a thoughtful gift. The Gold Medal Wine Club offers a variety of selections at a number of prices, and the website makes customization and gift-giving super easy. The wines include an information packet about the region, winery and winemaker, complete with attractive packaging. www.goldmedalwineclub.com.

Locally, the Foxcroft Wine Co., with locations in Southpark and Dilworth, offers a wine club program focusing on specialty wines. Membership (six-month minimum/$350) provides two bottles of carefully curated, high-end wine, with a minimum retail value of $60 each month. Club membership also includes some insider perks and case discounts. www.thewineshopatfoxcroft.com.

For the serious wine geek: For that person really, seriously interested in wine, perhaps in the wine trade, or studying for a certification, a year’s membership to the online site www.guildsomm.com is a treat. While a great deal of information on the site is available to the public, the learning resources available only to members are spectacular. A variety of maps of wine regions, in-depth profiles of places and producers, and a vibrant online community make this a must-have resource for the serious wine student. A bit pricey ($100 for the wine professional or $150 for the wine aficionado annually), but membership has been invaluable for me. I refer to the information on the site several times a day and find it the most informative, reliably updated, and versatile learning resource available.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 1:29 PM with the headline "You still have time to find something for a wine lover."