ABOUT WINE GLASS TABLE SETTINGS: In a formal setting, each place should be set with all of the wineglasses that will be used. The only exception would be a dessert wine glass, which can be brought out when dessert is served. Some formal dinners may have as many as five or six wine glasses with each table setting. This may seem crowded but it is the norm when formally serving various varietals of wine. Do remember that the wine will be served from inside out, or from the left to the right just past or above the water glass. When you’re done with a wineglass, you may ask a server to remove it, or you may want to keep at least a little bit of each wine in the glass so you can keep returning to it to enhance your tasting experience or at least to get a sniff and see how it's evolving.

In the most formal of settings, everything will be matching, but more and more hosts are finding creative ways to express themselves by mixing and matching tableware, silverware and even glasses. This works well if there’s something that ties everything together, like a color or a period. Most of the wine lovers will have a collection of various wineglasses, so sometimes we mix and match out of necessity and the type of glass enhances the flavor of the various wines and your host may have them laid out according to the order of wine being served or tasted.