That stint in rehab was time and money well spent.

Cameras caught Lindsay Lohan taking a swig out of a bottle of what several sources later confirmed was champagne on New Year's Eve in Italy...

Recovering alcoholic Lindsay Lohan relapses ... on tape!

Blair Berk, Lindsay's lawyer, told TMZ: "The good news was that Lindsay stopped herself that night, called her sponsor, and got herself immediately back on track. There is no magic cure here. The most unfortunate part of this is that Lindsay has to share her 'one day at a time' with the entire world."

At least LiLo can find comfort in her AA sponsor ... and in sex with Eduardo Costa, or Dario Faiella, and/or Alessandro Di Nunzio. And hey, if she has to go back to rehab, there's always a chance she'll meet Riley Giles 2.0 there!