Set the Scene

• Ask each guest to bring a bottle of wine that they find interesting. One of the basic differences between wines is tannin levels. Tannins are acids that give wine an astringent quality. They can nicely balance a fruity taste, or overwhelm the mouth with acidity. A more tannic style is often an acquired taste, but one worth developing .

• Set out a single glass for each guest on a table. Along with the crackers or bread, have some room-temperature water for rinsing mouth and glass (cold water numbs the tastebuds). Put the clean cloth where it's easily accessible.

• Collect the bottles from your guests, and open them up. Since it's difficult to decant several bottles at once, pour off a half-glass from each bottle of red, so that there's more surface area exposed in each bottle. This will help the wine breathe a bit (see next point). White and blush wines should be chilled slightly before opening.

• If you are decanting your red wines, try the wine again periodically, say, every 10 or 15 minutes. As the wine is exposed to air, it will change a bit--it breathes. If you make a note of your timing preference, you'll know how to serve that wine in the future.

When tasting many wines, it's a good idea to start with lighter, simpler wines, and move on to drier, heavier ones. White wine's charms can be obliterated in a mouth that has been puckered by tannic reds. By the same token, swirl some water around the glass after emptying it of wine. Take the clean cloth and dry it out, so that the next wine is not diluted with water.

Taste the Wine with Your Eyes