It's not hard to figure out the appeal. You get a bunch of people together in a friendly environment with a half-dozen or so bottles of wine, and people get to unearth new finds or expand their tastes a bit.

But unless you've hosted a few of these, you might need some help to make sure you remember all the details. Local company SmartsCo offers a hand in the form of WineParty ($25.50), a great, all-in-one kit for throwing a wine-tasting party. Just add wine, says the label, and you're good to go. (Glasses probably aren't a bad idea, either, unless you're doing a "6th and Market" theme.)

Photo by Melissa Schneider