STRUGGLING to find a present? Well if that someone likes their wine, and is especially fond of fortified varieties, then Aldi might just be stocking the answer.

It's the Maynard's Port Wine Encyclopedia Volume III - a book with a key difference.

Open it up and, rather than see pages upon pages of fact and information, what comes before you is a flight of six ports - a white, a ruby, a 2012 late bottled vintage, and three tawny ports aged ten, 20, and 30 years - all hidden in the hard-cover encyclopedia casing.

Each test-tube bottle is only 60ml but how often do you get six different styles of port to sample in a single book?

There is encyclopedia-like information, too, on each of the types, and, most importantly, each one really is lovely.

The two at either end are particularly interesting - white port isn't all that common and a 30-year-old tawny is something special, with its aged nuttiness, velvetiness and complexity.

Called the Port Gift Book, it's available in store for £19.99.

Perfect for after that big Christmas meal. Or six.

Aldi itself received an early Christmas present when winning the drinks industry’s ‘Innovator of the Year’ award at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

The budget store also scooped no fewer than 43 accolades at the International Wine Challenge, with its sweet wines and ports coming out on top. It takes Aldi to 225 awards for its drinks range in 2016. Say no more.

Changing tack a little, did you know that in Italy the traditional Christmas Day fayre is not fat turkey with sprouts and gravy but massive oven dishes of lasagne?

In honour of one of the old world's great wine countries, it's worth having that for tea at some point over the festive period, obviously paired with one of the great grapes.

Sangiovese is the main red grape in Chianti but it's grown elsewhere, too, and a lovely example comes from Forli, in the Rubicone wine region of Emilia-Romagna. It is the Vino Lascito Sangiovese, available from Tesco for £8.

Juicy cherry, plum and raspberry notes abound with a pleasing hint of spice in this smooth, full, well-balanced, drinkable red.

The nice fat bottle, with its ancient, traditional shape, is also rather attractive on the table, making the pouring and drinking just that little bit more pleasurable.

You could try one of those aforementioned ports for afters, but if you're wanting something a bit sweeter, then the Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Royal Tokaji gets the big thumbs up from this household - especially while it's down from £12 to £10 until Tuesday.

Tokaji, or Tokay, is Hungary's signature sweet wine noted the world over, and compares well with the perhaps more famed Sauternes from Bordeaux.

Royal Tokaji is a pioneering winery founded in 1990 by wine writer Hugh Johnson. Made from late-harvested grapes which have been left on the vines longer to increase their sugar levels, this sweet tipple is packed with rich peach, apricot and melon notes tempered by a crisp citrus edge.

It's the perfect partner with puddings and blue cheese, but a glass alone is a dessert in its own right. Only savour it as it can go down a bit too quick.