I love gathering with friends regularly to enjoy wines that we taste without knowing much about them. The idea is to gain greater knowledge about different wine styles.

Staging regular tastings is an excellent way to learn about wines from different areas of the world. I'm involved in four local groups that meet haphazardly, and I heartily recommend the idea.

There are no overlapping memberships in my groups because the participants vary in interests and skill levels. Since I live in wine country (Sonoma County, north of San Francisco), the most skilled group is composed of professionals, winemakers and retailers.

We call ourselves "Raiders of the Lost Art." Our monthly gatherings (seven or eight collectors) are often staged at an Italian cafe whose owner charges a nominal fee to allow us to bring in our own wines. Each taster brings two wine glasses, minimizing the impact on the kitchen staff.

All tasters share the cost of dinner.

The "Lost Art" in our title pays homage to the classic styles of wine that most members find in their wine cellars and reflects the styles of wine that existed decades ago. (Many wines are ancient.)

Another group is mainly composed of younger wine lovers who want to improve their wine knowledge. Each session is staged at my home with eight or nine wines of the same type. I choose the wines and provide detailed notes on the grape.

At one recent event, we had nine albarinos, four from Spain and five from California.

I have been involved in similar events for 40 years and have found that they're not difficult to arrange. It usually starts small: Four couples agree to rotate the events between houses. One strategy is to ask each couple to bring a wine of the same type with certain parameters.

For instance, a tasting of 2023 sauvignon blancs with a maximum price of $20 per bottle. Each participant brings a bottle in a bag or wrapped in foil to mask the label. Each taster gets 2 ounces.

In one tasting, the sauvignon blanc I brought was from Sancerre in France. Another participant brought a SB from New Zealand.

Decades ago, I was involved in a wine group in which high-quality cheeses and breads were a part of the lure. (One couple often added a great olive oil for dipping.)

One of my three sons created a similar wine group for several families that meets every Monday night in San Jose. The event is more about families sharing food. At one point, the group added several fine wines. The concept continues.

One regular group that I occasionally join is primarily Sonoma County winemakers. The group is active and stages tastings about every 2 to 3 weeks.

One annual event is the one it stages late each year, in which a dozen French champagnes are evaluated blind. The average cost is $50 per bottle. It is extremely popular; seats fill up within hours of its announcement.

Wine of the Week: 2023 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley ($19) — This is one of the best white wine values available today — especially if you like dry Australian rieslings. The aroma is exotic with aromas of lime, peach blossoms, and lemon peel. The taste is like green apples and there is a bit of sugar, but the wine is dry enough to serve with most seafood. Waterville is one of Clare Valley's finest subdistricts. At $19, it's a bargain. Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, Calif., has it for $12.99. It will ship.

To find out more about Sonoma County resident Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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