During a testing...

[claudio]

Hi again and thanks for all your prompt answers. I'm planing to show to some friends different Chilean wines (where I come from) and I've heard that between each wine you have to eat some grapes or cheeses in order to "erase" the old wine taste and prepare all your senses for the new wine. Is that true or a myth?

[Innkeeper]

Bread is best without anything on it. If you are doing an extented tasting you should have a variety of snack food to munch. Recommend for your first tasting to try three whites and three reds. Starting with the lightest white and ending with the fullest red. If you don't know, arrange the whites by level and alcohol starting with the lowest, and then the reds the same way.

[tandkvd]

I haven't heard of grapes and cheese during tastings. But have heard of using water, bread or crackers, to clean your palet.

Also you may want to make sure your friends know how to properly taste the wines. This is how I have learned to taste wine. I'm still not good at picking out the different flavors in wine, but when tasting different wines you want to detect the differences of the wines.

Swirl it - Hold the wine to a light and observe the color and clarity in the glass; make a note of any legs present.
Nose it - Put your nose directly over the glass and close your eyes; inhale the wine deeply and enjoy the aroma. What does it remind you of?
Sip it - Take a small bit in the mouth and swish it around; let the wine come in contact with all the areas of your tongue and palate.
Breathe it - While the wine is still in your mouth, slowly breathe in and out a couple of times through your nose. Observe the mouth feel; how does the wine feel on your tongue?
Swallow it - Notice how the wine tastes as it departs the rear of your tongue and passes the back of your throat. Make a note of any astringency.
Breathe out - What kind of aftertaste do you observe?