There are times when it's not appropriate to actually buy someone a bottle of wine--say, if that person lives out of state and the crazy shipping laws don't allow you to. But that's not to say you can't still feed their wine habit with an accessory gift. Funny that the wine industry has an entire related industry of accessories--most of which, like kitchen gadgets, are novel, but utterly useless--but some of them are actually fun and handy. Here are strategies for getting just the right gift for the...

Novice: Anything wine-related is fair game, because the person probably just likes the idea of the "Italian villa" look in their home or the thought that they're sophisticated enough to have moved beyond frat-party beer and fruity mixed drinks. A wrought iron wine rack, a "Chateau Roberts" plaque, a cork board kit, or a T-shirt that says "I always feel better after I wine a little" will go over perfectly.

Enthusiast who is getting serious about wine: Think practical and useful items at this stage. This person needs to trade up her old K-Mart wine glasses for some more delicate stemware. Riedel is the top brand, and you can get a set anywhere from around $100 a glass to a little more than $10 a glass. Target carries an inexpensive but good-quality Riedel line that will buy you four basic red or white wine glasses for around $45. The new enthusiast could also use a decanter, vacuum bottle sealers, and Champagne stoppers.

Long-time collector: Realistically, this person has everything he needs, likely including a cellar. He's probably gotten every wine-type gift known to man, from Santa bottle stoppers (useless, but cute) to wine charms (useful only if you remember to get them out of the drawer). Skip the cutesy stuff and get something you know he'll use, like a gift subscription to Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, or the Wine Advocate (which he probably already gets, in which case the subscription will be tacked on to his standing order) or a magazine he may not get, like Wine & Spirits or Food & Wine. Or buy him a wine book--new releases this year include The Battle for Wine & Love, The Billionaire's Vinegar, the updated World Atlas of Wine, 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die, The Wine Snob's Dictionary, and The House of Mondavi.

Any best and worst wine accessory gifts to share?