Originally Posted by
kipper
I didn't take it to mean serve all 6 bottles, but tastes from each.
How big is a taste? What's his alcohol tolerance? What's his state's definition of Impaired driving?
My point is that it would be too easy for someone in that situation - trying 6 different wines, "Oh, just another sip to compare these two" - to end up in a situation where they should not be behind the wheel of a car. We used to do wine tasting long weekends with friends, and each day one person would abstain from drinking and be the driver, rotating turns. I know from experience that when wine tasting it's easier to imbibe more than intended.
Originally Posted by
kipper
He knows the very basics (white/red, sweet/dry, etc.) He wants to be knowledgeable about more of it. What flavors he should pay attention to, what makes it different from another, similar wine.
What makes it different as in how the wines came to be different, or how to tell the difference between say, a 10 year old oak aged cabernet and a "cabernet blend" with a screw top? Visiting quality wineries will help answer the first, and experience drinking different wines will help with the second. Doing blind tastings can also be very informative, as trying a wine without knowing its origins or price point can help you establish what it is you like without being influenced by anything but taste.
In the end, the secret to enjoying wine is trusting your own palate enough to say "I like this one, this style, this variety" without regard to other people's opinions. I know someone who loves Sutter Home White Zinfandel, which I think is dreck, but it makes him happy, so that's a good wine in his world and my opinion doesn't matter.