"MikeD" > wrote in message
. ..
> 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?

Yes. You can taste several wines at once and keep the unconsumed portions
for another time if you do this:

Get yourself some small, glass screwcapped bottles and a funnel to fit them.
Sounds like you're not much of a drinker, so look for some airline size 187
ml bottles. You'll want a dozen or so to begin with - possibly more.

When you open a fresh bottle of wine, immediately fill 3 of those little
bottles from it. Try to pour the wine into the small bottles without
agitating/aerating it. Fill the 3 bottles right to the brim and cap them
tightly. The contents of those 3 bottles will remain intact as the original
bottle was for months - perhaps longer. Be sure to label the bottles or
you'll forget what's in them.

After filling 3 of those small bottles, you'll still have wine in the bottle
you just opened. That's what you'll be tasting tonight. Repeat the above
process with another bottle of wine or two. Then you'll have 2 or 3 (or
more) wines to taste side-by-side tonight, and you will be able to either
reproduce that tasting another night or select an entirely different lineup
of wines from other bottles, portioned into aliquots in the same fashion.

Tom S