I'm sure many of you have experienced a tasting menu at restaurant, a menu that consists of 4-6 small courses, typically with a separate wine pairing for each course.
Mainly when I have a dinner party it usually consists of a minimum of 2 wines. A white for the appy, soup, salad, etc. and a red to go with the main. On 2 separate occasions I've done up to 6 different wines with a 6 course dinner.
Here is a rough outline:
1. Champagne reception wine paired with an amuse bouche
2. Bright acidic white for the salad (Sauv. blanc, Albarino)
3. Full bodied creamy white with soups, cream sauces/pasta, shellfish, etc (Oaked chardonnay, Viognier, etc)
4. Light to medium red with duck, mushrooms, roast poultry, Salmon, etc (Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chianti, Rioja, etc)
5. Full bodied red with the main; steak, lamb, game, etc. (Bordeaux, Cab. Sauv. Syrah, Rhone Blends, etc)
6a. Sweet whites with fruit and/or custard based desserts (Sauternes , late harvest, etc)
or......
6b. Port with a cheese plate, nuts, chocolate, or a combination IE Chocolate Pecan Pie, etc.

Have any of you attempted this kind of thing at home? I have and I'm interested in what you did and what you learned along the way. Any tips or tricks to share?