We don't enjoy being bearers of bad news. Rather, our joy as Hot Plates is thinking that perhaps we are making people -- that's you -- excited about the world of food and drink. Maybe we're showing you something you haven't seen elsewhere, or alerting you to something you wanted to read more about but couldn't find the time.

Sadly, today we are starting with some gloom. Wine prices are on the rise, says Eric Asimov. More on that mildly disturbing topic later. I say "mildly" because it is just about European wines, which does leave the rest of the world's vines out of it.

The other drink article we are not psyched about is on absinthe, in The New York Times. What's so bad about that? Sorry, absinthe-loving friends, we are not excited. About drinking it, we mean. The article is something else: totally amusing, great quotes, terrific art (those labels!).

The whole absinthe "thing" is either something you're into or something you're sort of vaguely terrified of. To make sure you click -- and to try to get you into our camp of thinking "this just doesn't sound like a good spend of $67.99" -- here is a flavor description of one of the brands, called Lucid: "Besides a bracing dose of fresh anise and a back-of-the-tongue bitterness, on one tasting, I thought I detected asparagus. A second encounter was more minty."

All right, let's talk about this Asimov report. There is a lot of talk, but no actual news yet. The price of oil and the value of the dollar are cited as reasons you might see a new number on your favorite wine's price tag. "How high might prices go? Bill Deutsch, chairman of W. J. Deutsch & Sons ... estimated that wines tied to the euro would increase in price by 10, 20 or even 30 percent." It's an informative piece either way, though Hot Plates finds the timing pretty interesting; Asimov suggests "building up a supply now" or looking to other regions. Portugal and Argentina are good options, and also "less celebrated areas of France, Italy and Spain, like Campania and Sicily, lesser areas near the Loire and the Rhone Valley or unknown Languedoc wines like picpoul."

Well, this'll cheer you up: The Washinton Post's gift guide for wine fiends. There are things for gearheads, spa types, and people who travel with bottles in tow; the writers also offer their own recommendations for some sparkling wines and icewines that would make great gifts. Choose bottles people wouldn't buy for themselves, they suggest, and of course a cool-looking bottle is always fun, too.

More on the presents front from the Dallas Morning News: ideas for gifts of gin, single-malt, bubbly, and more. These special-occasion bottles of cheer are not for the bargain-seekers among us, especially the "hatbox" of three champagnes ($600).

Hard to pronounce, easy to drink -- that's this week's pick by Rebecca Murphy of the DMN. This Rias Baixas Albariño 2006 has "vivid peach, pear and lime zest aromas and flavors that tickle the taste buds and linger," and it's nice thinking about the "very green and cool region of Galicia in northwestern Spain" where it's from.

Great minds think alike, then, because S. Irene Virbila touts the same kind of wine in the L.A. Times. Virbila likes another Albariño "from Celtic Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain" that is "bone-dry and minerally" and aged in stainless steel.

We are always intrigued by half-bottles, but we don't buy them. We know why you'd get one in a restaurant, but not why you'd buy one for your home enjoyment. But like they often do, Dottie and John of the Wall Street Journal explain the whole half-bottle thing to us. The prices can be a turn-off for some, but others, who know they will not want to open a red and waste the other half, really like the halves. Included is a list of ones to look for, and some helpful nuggets of information.

BURP. No, we're not being rude; we're just telling you the name of a home-brewing club that Greg Kitsock of TWP writes about this week. The Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) gets together annually in November for the Real Ale Competition, where "between samples of British-style beers, participants eat from a potluck spread that includes venison marinated in chili pepper beer." Heck yeah, you say? Well, you have to join, and you should probably live near Rockville, where meetings are held. This is the fun read that is meant to leave you all on a happy weekend note. We aim to please, you know.