I have been to a lot of wine tastings in my time. So I'm down with the fact that there's nothing ridiculous about swirling - sorry, 'volatilising your esters'. It aerates the wine. When swirling, take care to fill your glass less than half full. You will not score points if the person next to you ends up wearing the wine. Then smell. And taste. The wine-tasting company ThirtyFifty brings the whole wine-tasting business into your home. They come armed with wines, glasses, tasting notes and few trade tricks, such as how to estimate the value of a bottle of wine. But don't expect 'rules'. There really aren't any. Except, maybe 'if you're not sure you can pronounce it don't order it'. Everyone needs a few guides in their life. Approximately £25 per person for a two-hour session (minimum 10 guests); 020-8288 0314 thirtyfifty.co.uk.