With all the lingo about vintages and tannins and terroir, wine can be intimidating. But learning at home with friends—say, through an in-home wine-tasting party hosted by the Traveling Vineyard—can help strip away the pretenses.

The scenario: A wine consultant comes to your house, offers basic instruction on evaluation (color, smell, swirl, and sip), and provides samples of five different wines. Then, guests have an opportunity to purchase the bottles they like. Think of it as a Tupperware party for the wine-loving set.

Bonus: The only cost to the host are the light snacks to pair with the wine. And the only cost to guests are the bottles they order.