In article >, mike@webwinerack.
com says...
>
>
>Thanks to everyone for your replies and opinions.
>
>I'm still searching for the reds and whites to stock as "house wines",
>and I'm definitely going to seek out some of the bottles you've
>recommended. This does, however, lead me to another dilemma: a better
>tasting methodology.
>
>Up to this point I've purchased several random bottles of wines that
>interested me, uncorking another as soon as I could finish the first
>bottle (or pour it down the drain if it wasn't worth finishing).
>
>I realize the proper method of tasting is to compare three or more
>bottles at the same time, and up to this point I was just getting my
>feet wet. I'm now going to begin tasting two bottles of like wines
>(varietal, appellation, or winery) at a time (I can't justify opening
>three bottles at a time as I can't finish that much wine in a week or
>so, and I have no one to share it with--being the only wine drinker in
>the house.)
>
>Does anyone have any additional advice or experience in holding personal
>tastings of this nature? Is there a better way to handle this for
>someone who is trying to taste a broad range of wines?
>
>-Mike

>http://www.webwinerack.com - Wine, Wine Reviews, and Wine Information

First thing that you need to do is connect with like-minded folk near-by. This
could be at a restaurant, wine shop, whatever is allowed in your area of
retailers, or it could be a group of friends, who are interested in wine.

Next, convert someone else in your immediate family to wine! <G>

Seminars in your area, or trade-tastings are a good bet. I'll use the Wine
Spectator Grand Tastings as an example. For a fee, you can attend the
seminars, and the tastings, which are, in fact, "grand" tastings. Don't recall
where you are located, but they now do several, NYC, Chicago, Las Vegas, and
maybe another. The "trade-tastings" are something that you will need to work
to get admission, but talk sweetly to your retailer, as he/she might have
extra tickets. Check out the ZAP Website, to see if they hold any of their
events near you, or near where you frequently travel. Most are in CA, but I
just got notice that they have added New Orleans, and I used to attend the
show in Denver, and for the few years that it came to Phoenix. Lots of wine
and, other than crowded, great. Zinfandels abound.

Lastly, you might want to pick up Andrea Immers book, "Great Wine Made
Simple," which is basically a host of wine-tasting exercises. Kevin Zarhley's
"Windows on the World Wine Course" (?) is another good one - I don't have my
copy handy, so do check out the title. I hate that my memory is going so
quickly. These two books are like class texts for wine tasting, and will give
you all sorts of pairing/contrasting ideas. With the quantity of wines opened,
you will want to recruit some gullible buddies to help you out, or just do
them two at a time.

Most of all, have fun,
Hunt